#is it obvious that mitski has been playing on repeat?

[gaiussleechtank]

I never like thinking about Merlin’s dragonlord heritage for too long because I start to think about the implications of it.

If the lord part of being a Dragonlord meant nobility, then surely Balinor had an estate/ noble house of some kind.

All I can imagine is Merlin finding that grand home one day, and it being nothing but a hollow ruin. Flying in the wind are burnt and tattered banners of a family crest that Merlin doesn’t know is his because that knowledge is forever lost. Rooms upon rooms that once were occupied by his ancestors, ancestors who he will never be able to name. The kitchen frozen in time with dusty and moulded plates sitting on the table, a plate that maybe his aunt or an uncle, maybe a grandparent or a cousin was eating from before Uther’s men came after them. Little trinkets, jewellery, heirlooms, beloved toys, precious keepsakes scattered everywhere, and he wouldn’t know that by default they were his.

He would walk those abandoned halls, seeing how clearly loved that home was, how full of life and people and family it had had before the purge had broken out: only to wish that he could have experienced that in his childhood.

He would just see that grand house as nothing more than another of Uther’s victims, completely unaware of his connection to the place.

EDIT: OH GOD WHAT IF MERLIN HAD A SIGIL???

[gidakata]

[DRABBLE ANALYSIS NOTES; FIC BREAKDOWN] Crack Baby (you don't know what you want)

the fic the song

its minyang!

anyway I already cross-posted it to twt & ao3, so I kind of just wanted to post the end author's notes, which was a breakdown of my thought process and the beats I tried to hit when writing the fic, inspired by the song... crack baby by mitski lmfao anyway! I really enjoyed this actually, and I want to do more of these song-fic analysis stuff where I like. breakdown the lyrics/scene and explain what I attempted to go for, where, and why, etc etc etc yk? this was so fun and I love these little writer exercises also im a slut for repetition.

Anyway;

(TW // drug ment.) Crack Baby by Mitski has a literal reference, paralleling its meaning; the first is an obvious reference to the lyrics and song title “Crack Baby”, or a child who’s mother used cocaine while they where pregnant, so the baby is born with withdrawal symptoms. The second, being the parallel Mitski draws; a longing for a feeling or situation that one’s nostalgic for but cannot fully place.

I used it for a relationship; being possibly aimless in it, and afterwards realizing you lost something that was integral to you. Being confused on if you want the relationship back (ex; there were reasons why it ended), or if you miss the secure feeling it provided, even if it didn’t provide security. Either way; you miss something you once had.

In relation to how I applied this to the fic;

…all these twenty years trying to fill the void; Single now, focusing on his child (that he used to raise partially, with Jeongin), Minho spends his life in relative loneliness. He tries his best for his child, but Seungmin clearly struggles in school with just Minho as his parent. There is a clear void meant to be filled, but by another parent, or partner, it’s undecided.

Crack baby, you don’t know what you want; following the previous sentiment, it’s clear Minho struggles with deciding between whether or not he wants another person in the house in general - someone who serves as parent for Seungmin, and partner for himself. Other parents call him Mr. Lee and he doesn’t correct them- and he tells himself it’s for the sake of Seungmin. 

…but you know that you had it once, and you know that you want it back; Jeongin filled those gaps so perfectly when he was a part of the household, Minho isn’t over it. Running into him in the street quickly becomes a seamless co-parenting session with Seungmin, and Seungmin warms up to Jeongin quickly by repeating the pebble-prank he previously played on his dad in the park. Minho also admits he hasn’t moved any of Jeongin’s things from when he left.

…and you know that you need it bad; Minho is hinted at to be overworked and overtired in mismatched business-casual clothing, Seungmin’s ability to be semi-self sufficient, and the New Years decorations that have been up nearly year round. His P.O.V. is permeated in a sort of loneliness. Some help- a partnership of any sort- is something he would heavily benefit from.

Wild horses running through your hollow bones; Minho impulsively chases the feeling of having Jeongin in his home, and Jeongin in his vicinity again, inviting him over for dinner. Jeongin tells Seungmin that Minho and Seungmin seem to be doing fine- much to Minho’s dismay. He bathes in the high that the night provides him, reminiscing on the days that he and Jeongin used to share, when Seungmin was just a baby.

Tumblr is my dump page where I shit post my excess thoughts into the void or not idk anyway thanks for listening! I was actually struggling to keep this one just a drabble, which I wanted to do bc I yap too much (my current ongoing fic easily reaching 80k+ despite being written in a little under a month), so I rlly enjoyed being able to think this out and still have it end up under 3k!! idk!! kjfhkjsf

also we just need more dad!minho plsplspls beggin my fellow authors

[onestowatch]

The Best of 2019 and Beyond | Staff Picks

It’s the end of 2019. The world is on fire. You inhale your mango-flavored juul pod. The most pivotal figure in the world is a 16-year-old Swedish girl. Your Amazon Alexa listens intently in the corner of your bedroom. What I’m trying to say is that it has been an absolutely crazy year and an equally mind-blowing year for music. And what better way to cap the end of a year, an end of a decade than to perform a mandated survey on the entire Ones To Watch staff in the hopes of gathering their thoughts on the music that shaped their 2019, their 2010s, and their predictions for this brave new decade.

Maxamillion Polo

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: An honest toss-up between keshi and Aries. Believe 2020 belongs to them.

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Lizzo, who is finally getting the recognition she’s deserved for years.

Best Music Video of 2019: BTS - “Boy With Luv”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Carly Rae Jepsen, this year and every year.

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Childish Gambino at The Forum. Felt like church.

Favorite 2019 trend: stan and cancel culture. Live by the sword; die by the sword.

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Naruto-running through Area 51.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Conan Gray is going to be absolutely massive come this time next year.

Favorite Song of 2019: Dominic Fike, Kenny Beats - “Phone Numbers”

Favorite Album of 2019: Tyler, the Creator - IGOR

Favorite Artist of 2019: Lil Nas X, if only for his Twitter presence.

wow thanks u guys pic.twitter.com/CetLFOKP41

— nope (@LilNasX)

December 6, 2019

Favorite Song of the Decade: Grimes - “Oblivion.” Honorable mention goes to Mitski’s “Nobody.”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Kanye West - The Life of Pablo

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Childish Gambino, an unmatched creative.

New Year’s Resolution?: Take more pictures, edit more videos, cook more, and discover more artists.

Green Lee

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Arin Ray

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Kenny Beats

Best Music Video of 2019: TOSS UP BETWEEN GINGER ROOT’S “WEATHER” & “B4” BOTH FIRE. HUGE FAN. CAMERON LEW, YOU’RE THE MAN.

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: BENEE

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: SLOWTHAI AT THE ECHO WITH DAVID O’ CONNOR. HOW MANY OF YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU’VE MOSHED WITH YOUR BOSS? HUH!?

Favorite 2019 trend: @foosgonewild

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Game of Thrones’ trash ass ending.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: BENEE

Favorite Song of 2019: Monsune - “Outta My Mind”

Favorite Album of 2019: MAGGIE ROGERS – HEARD IT IN A PAST LIFE

Favorite Artist of 2019: Channel Tres

Favorite Song of the Decade: Tyler The Creator ft. Frank Ocean - “She”

Favorite Album of the Decade: SHIT. This is hard. Majid Jordan by Majid Jordan or Whack World by Tierra Whack.

Favorite Artist of the Decade: BROCKHAMPTON.

New Year’s Resolution?: To be a better son and take better care of my body. Your health is your wealth. 

Jenna Singer

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Huron John

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Johnny Utah

Best Music Video of 2019:  Loved ROLE MODEL’s newest lyric video for “that’s just how it goes” – super simple and done very well.

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: I don’t typically crush on artists, but seeing Jeremy Zucker perform live was a momementttttt

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Polo & Pan – they are incredible, such a party

Favorite 2019 trend: Loose jeans lol – may low rise skinny jeans burn in the past forever

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Diplo playing Stagecoach – still confused, slightly jealous I missed it

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Ahhhhh! This is so hard to tell, the ability to make it big has been redefined with the ability to make music in your room. Really digging Gracie Abrams right now!

Favorite Song of 2019:  I have the worst memory, but “Hit the Back” by King Princess is a whole jam and has been on repeat

Favorite Album of 2019: Again, worst memory but LOVING Immunity by Clairo right now

Favorite Artist of 2019: Clairo

Favorite Song of the Decade: i. have. the. worst. memory. I’m going to go with “Stolen Dance” by Milky Chance

Favorite Album of the Decade: Sadnecessary by Milky Chance – a go to

Favorite Artist of the Decade: … Justin Bieber. Not for necessarily for his music, he’s withstood well against a lot of pressures from being such a world famous artist

New Year’s Resolution?: MAKE BIG CAREER MOVES – also carve out more time to relax. You are your best when you’re rested and clear-minded!

David O’ Connor

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Sam Fender. So much more to come from him, can’t wait.

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Clairo, built her own queendom of timely perception.

Best Music Video of 2019: “CRYABY” by Dijon. Visually tackles an emotion that’s hard not to look at.

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Lauren Sanderson. She may not care but I do enough for the both of us.

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Wednesday, June 19, 2019. Sir SlowThai @The Echo w/ @fuqgreen.

Favorite 2019 trend: Flood-prepped pants  

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Lizzo memeing and melting the internet at every occasion.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Arlo Parks, Deb Never, Dijon, Arizona Zervas, Audrey Mika, Alaina Castillo, Garçons, Sam Fender.

Favorite Song of 2019: “CHA” by LAUNDRY DAY. I am equally nostalgic and envious to write so honestly about teenage angst.

Favorite Album of 2019: slowthai - Nothing Great about Britain

Favorite Artist of 2019: slowthai

Favorite Song of the Decade: ANHONI - “Drone Bomb Me.” If you know me well, maybe too well, I’ll sing this song happily and loudly.

Favorite Album of the Decade: Intuitively obvious but My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was the decade’s benchmark

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Kanye. Defending him became my protagonist social calendar.

New Year’s Resolution?: Work with more diehards before I die.

Malcolm Gray

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Sudan Archives

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Channel Tres

Best Music Video of 2019: Solange - “Almeda”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Green Leef

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Channel Tres at The Moroccan Lounge

Favorite 2019 trend: Creatives demanding ownership

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: The last season of Game of Thrones being so mid

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Baby Keem

Favorite Song of 2019: Tyler, The Creator - “I Think”

Favorite Album of 2019: Toro y Moi - Outer Peace

Favorite Artist of 2019: Toro y Moi

Favorite Song of the Decade: Darius - “Hot Hands”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Kanye West - Yeezus

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Frank Ocean

New Year’s Resolution?: Listen to more music and make some music

Jimmy Smith

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Can't Swim

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Grayscale and Angel Du$t

Best Music Video of 2019: Blink-182 - “Not Another Christmas Song”

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Vans Warped Tour 25 Year Anniversary Festival

Favorite 2019 trend: TikTok, all of it.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: The Chats

Favorite Song of 2019: Bring Me The Horizon - “Sugar Honey Ice & Tea”

Favorite Album of 2019: Issues - Beautiful Oblivion

Favorite Artist of 2019: Waterparks

Favorite Song of the Decade: Angel Du$t - “Toxic Boombox”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Every Time I Die - Low Teens

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Every Time I Die

New Year’s Resolution?: Meet My Chemical Romance

Alec Wing

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Little Simz

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Billie Eilish

Best Music Video of 2019: FKA twigs - “Cellophane”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: UMI

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: James Blake / The Strokes / The Who

Favorite 2019 trend: IGOR Wig

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Drake Getting Booed off stage at Camp Flog Gnaw

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Aldous Harding

Favorite Song of 2019: YBN Cordae ft. Anderson .Paak - “RNP”

Favorite Album of 2019: JPEGMAFIA - All My Heroes Are Cornballs

Favorite Artist of 2019: James Blake

Favorite Song of the Decade: Frank Ocean – “Self Control”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Kendrick Lamar

New Year’s Resolution?: To build something and be proud of it.

Precious Kato

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Monsune

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: BENEE

Best Music Video of 2019: Jungle - "Casio"

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Oscar Jerome

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: The 1975 at The Roxy

Favorite 2019 trend: Wearing your jacket draped over your shoulders. It feels badass!

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Having not one but two Fyre Festival documentaries.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: DVNA

Favorite Song of 2019: Friendly Fires - “Offline"

Favorite Album of 2019: Loyle Carner - Not Waving But Drowning

Favorite Artist of 2019: Hablot Brown

Favorite Song of the Decade: HONNE - “Take You High"

Favorite Album of the Decade: Mac Miller - The Divine Feminine

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Tom Misch

New Year’s Resolution?: Learn how to separate hope and naiveté.

Alexa Schoenfeld

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Hamzaa, Jean Dawson.

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Baby Rose, slowthai

Best Music Video of 2019: UMI ft. YEEK – “RUNNIN (EP. 3)”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: FKA Twigs, Pell

Best Concert You Attended in 2019:  PVRIS at The El REY 

Favorite 2019 trend: Millenial app astrology – have you entered the Co-Star universe?

What cultural moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: No genre boundaries, no gender boundaries

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Remi Wolf, Peach Tree Rascals

Favorite Song of 2019: Jacob Collier ft. Daniel Caesar - “Time Alone With You” 

Favorite Album of 2019:  The Menzingers - Hello Exile 

Favorite Artist of 2019: UMI

Favorite Song of the Decade: The 1975 – “SOMEBODY ELSE”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Childish Gambino – “Awaken, My Love!”

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Kanye West

New Year’s Resolution?: EXHALE DEEPER

Brooke Pohle

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Briston Maroney

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Summer Walker

Best Music Video of 2019: Jadu Heart - “Purity”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: I would end it all for A$AP Rocky this year and every year

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Maggie Rogers at the Greek Theatre

Favorite 2019 trend: Reflective 3M jackets

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: The mess of Area 51

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Patrick Martin

Favorite Song of 2019: Maggie Rogers - “Light On”

Favorite Album of 2019: Billie Eilish - When we all fall asleep where do we go?

Favorite Artist of 2019: Briston Maroney

Favorite Song of the Decade: Rihanna - “Stay”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Lorde - Pure Heroine

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Rainbow Kitten Surprise

New Year’s Resolution?: Put my mental health first!!!

Jess Chung

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Rosemary Fairweather

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: BENEE

Best Music Video of 2019: Crumb - “M.R.”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Pedro Sampaio

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Dominic Fike

Favorite 2019 trend: fanny packs !

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: the reappearance of Keanu Reeves on social media / memes / movies / games

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Clairo

Favorite Song of 2019: Rex Orange County - “10/10”

Favorite Album of 2019: BROCKHAMPTON - Ginger

Favorite Artist of 2019: BROCKHAMPTON

Favorite Song of the Decade: Dominic Fike - “King of Everything” 

Favorite Album of the Decade: Tyler, the Creator - Flower Boy 

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Tyler, the Creator

New Year’s Resolution?: Do more hikes !

Jessica Thomas

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Hope Tala

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Rosalia

Best Music Video of 2019:  Ashnikko - “Hi It’s Me”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: ROSALÍA

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: BANKS at the Palladium

Favorite 2019 trend: Not sure if this counts but this dude is my hero… (editor’s note: totally doesn’t but I’ll accept cause same)

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Juice WRLD’s tragic passing and the effect it will have on generations of creatives to come.

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Boy in Space (!!!)  

Favorite Song of 2019: YBN Cordae ft. Anderson. Paak - “RNP“

Favorite Album of 2019: Matthew Chaim - The Mathematics of Nature

Favorite Artist of 2019: Lolo Zouaï

Favorite Song of the Decade: BANKS - "Gemini Feed"

Favorite Album of the Decade: SZA  - Ctrl

Joey Legittino

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: BabyJake

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Aries

Best Music Video of 2019: Supa Bwe ft. Qari - “LOOK”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Kailee Morgue

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Beck, Cage the Elephant, and Spoon at FivePoint Ampitheatre 

Favorite 2019 trend:Cowboy culture hitting the mainstream. Yee Yee!

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Eating tide pods

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Ant Saunders

Favorite Song of 2019: Augustine - “Guts”

Favorite Album of 2019: Cage the Elephant - “Social Cues”

Favorite Artist of 2019: BabyJake

Favorite Song of the Decade: Mac Miller - “Self Care”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Blink-182 - “Neighborhoods”

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Mac Miller forever

New Year’s Resolution?: To not wait until New Years to make new resolutions for myself.

Chase Nathan

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: EARTHGANG

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: JID

Best Music Video of 2019: DaBaby - “BOP”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Dominic Fike :)

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: slowthai at Flog Gnaw

Favorite 2019 trend: Baggy Pants - no more of that cuffed pant look

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Being 10th row at Flog Gnaw for Drake

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Bakar, Guapdad 4000, Kent Jamz, Grip, KEY!, Mez

Favorite Song of 2019: Tyler, The Creator - “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?”

Favorite Album of 2019: Dreamville - Revenge Of The Dreamers III

Favorite Artist of 2019: Tyler, The Creator

Favorite Song of the Decade: Mac Miller ft. Anderson .Paak - “Dang!”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Anderson .Paak - “Malibu”

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Tie between Anderson .Paak and Pusha T

What Is Your New Year’s Resolution?: Be more positive!

George Schaefer

Most Underrated Artist of 2019: Pi'erre Bourne

Best Breakout Artist of 2019: Baby Keem

Best Music Video of 2019: Octavian ft. Skepta & Michael Phantom - “Bet”

Biggest Artist Crush of 2019: Summer Walker, Jhene Aiko

Best Concert You Attended in 2019: Baby Keem at The Roxy

Favorite 2019 trend: Igor Wig

What moment of 2019 will you not be forgetting anytime soon?: Watching Drake get boo'ed off stage

Who is poised to be the breakout artist(s) of 2020: Jean Dawson

Favorite Song of 2019: Pi'erre Bourne - “Guillotine”

Favorite Album of 2019: Baby Keem - DIE FOR MY BITCH

Favorite Artist of 2019: Toro y Moi

Favorite Song of the Decade: Kanye West ft. Pusha T - “Runaway”

Favorite Album of the Decade: Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

Favorite Artist of the Decade: Frank Ocean

New Year’s Resolution?: Get a job.

[shikai-the-storyteller]

The unofficial “Change, In All Things, Is Inevitable” playlist.

Here’s some of the music I listened to while working on this fic, plus a few key lyrics and some commentary about each song:

------------

Gladiator – Zayde Wolf

Imma give you a second just to catch your breath / 'Cause I can see that your heart is jumpin' out your chest / I know you gave it all 'cause I've already seen your best, and it’s time you accepted this 

Let me tell ya / I've got every reason to fight

This song is great because it pumps me up and then 1 minute and 50 seconds into it, the tone does a complete 180 and gives me serious chills. It reminds me of current Megatron vs. past Megatron, and his initial motivation for starting the Decepticon revolution in the first place. I think he lost his guiding principles along the way, but his anger and gladiator might hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s a perfect Megatron song for obvious (and not so obvious) reasons.

Church – Fall Out Boy

Megatron: Take the pain / Make it billboard big then swallow it for me / Time-capsule for the future / Trust me, that's what I will be Soundwave: Oh, the things that you do in the name of what you love Orion Pax: I love the world but I just don't love the way it makes me feel

Church makes me think of the early days of the revolution when Orion, Soundwave, and Megatronus were all working together towards the same goal. The chorus is fitting for all of them; their friendship was a sanctuary of sorts, and it gave them the kind of support / relationship none of them ever had before (at least in Megatron’s case). Friendship was a novel, strange, but wonderful thing. Pity it didn’t last long :’I

If I’m being completely honest, Toastyhat’s animatic for this song definitely influenced my associations, what with the gladiator ring and all that, haha. It’s a fantastic animation, and I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already.

Meet Me on the Battlefield – Svrcina

We carry on through the storm / Tired soldiers in this war / Remember what we're fighting for Our tainted history, is playing on repeat / But we could change it if we stand up strong and take the lead When I was younger, I was named / A generation unafraid / For heirs to come, be brave

This melancholic song is a perfect fit for the tone of the war, and Optimus’ feelings on it. Poor guy never expressed interest in being a Prime, but he never really got a say in the matter. The best he can do is keep moving forward hoping it’ll one day come to an end.

(Side note: someone’s done a TFP AMV with this song! Go check it out.)

Run to You – Pentatonix

I've been settling scores, I've been fighting so long / But I've lost your war and our kingdom is gone I will break down the gates of heaven / A thousand angels stand waiting for me

Very much a melancholic unrequited Soundwave --> Megatron song. I don’t care how many times I listen to this; my heart always aches for poor Soundwave and the ending he got in TFP. He would’ve gone to hell and back for Megatron (and I suppose, in a way, he did).

Battle Cry – Imagine Dragons

Stars are only visible in darkness / Fear is ever-changing and evolving Nobody can save you now / The only sound is the battle cry

Another great song for Megatron! He reveled in his fights as a gladiator, and war is no different. It’s his challenge to Optimus and anyone else who'd dare oppose him. In essence, I see it as Megatron’s “If you’re not with me, then you’re against me, and you’d better be damn well prepared to be treated like an enemy” song.

The “stars are only visible in darkness” line also reminds me of Optimus and Megatron’s conversation in IDW’s “The Transformers” #22 comic, where Megatron goads Optimus, saying he would’ve been no one and nothing without him / the war:

Also: I genuinely had no idea this was a Bayverse song until recently so sHHH LET ME LIVE

Chains – Radical Face

I thought I had control, that I could always walk away if things turned bad / We were thick as thieves 'til I became the one who always went too far / And I couldn't hear you  In the end I'm lost / And I'll drag you down yeah, that's my cost / But I'm glad you were my friend 

Finally, the song that helped inspire this fic! Definitely gives me strong MegaOp vibes. Despite everything that wound up happened, Megatron and Optimus were each other’s biggest influences for a loooong time. That’s not the kind of thing that can be forgotten easily! I think Megatron was briefly reminded of the friendship they once had at the end of Predacon Rising. Megatron doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who has regrets, but I still wonder if anything akin to it crossed his mind before the end.

A few bonus lighthearted joke songs: A Little Help From My Friends – The Beatles This song came up on my playlist while I was editing some early chapters where Megatron / Orion / Soundwave were still buddies, which I thought was ironic, sweet, and a little bit sad. Take A Chance On Me – ABBA  An example of a song I associated with a character as a joke, then thought about WAY too much to the point where it’s no longer a joke. Anyways, please imagine Soundwave playing this every time Megatron passes him up in favor of the Decepticon’s latest traitorous and/or knuckleheaded senior officer. (Seriously though, why on EARTH do you have your most loyal officer as your third in command, Megatron??? Stability and competence clearly mean nothing to you).

Strawberry Blond – Mitski

All I need, darling, is a life in your shape / I picture it, soft, and I ache

This song is perhaps a little bit too wistful / lighthearted for the TFP continuity, but the tone (and the topic of unrequited love) reminded me of a young love-struck Orion Pax. (This was supposed to be a fun addition to this list but the more I think about it, the sadder I get :’I I’m so sorry your life sucked so much, Orion).

Songs reminding me of other TF continuities that nonetheless influenced this fic: Firewall – Les Friction

Deep beneath the light / A spark will now ignite You will see me now / This is my world now

A great G1 / IDW song that’s particularly good for Megatron and Optimus. I could dissect every single line of this song and create an entire MV to it, but I’ll spare you the 10 page essay. Just listen to the song and let your imagination run wild! So many lines are perfect!!! Alright I lied, here’s a few good corresponding lines: Megatron: Fear is a device / So quiet and precise / It's not what I allow / Not in my world now Rodimus / the Matrix: This force is in love with you / It wants you safe / It wants you well Shockwave / empurata: This force knows what you can do / And what you can make / With your tattered shell Optimus / the Matrix: Faith in your device / So quiet and precise / Just when, not how / You can feel it now The Autobots: Deep beneath the light / A spark will now ignite The Decepticons: You will see me now / This is our world now

Dangerous Man – Little Dume  An absolutely PERFECT IDW Megatron song! Great for Megatron post- his change of heart. I actually am determined to make an MV with him for this song because it’s just that perfect.

Silhouettes – Of Monsters and Men

There's nothing that I'd take back / But it's hard to say there's nothing I regret. 

Not necessarily a perfect song for TF, but these two lines from it reminded me so strongly of Megatron / Optimus I figured it was worth making note of.

[mastcomm]

Pearl Jam Dances to a Different Beat, and 11 More New Songs

Introducing “Gigaton,” its first studio album since 2013, Pearl Jam has come up with what might have happened if Talking Heads had invented grunge when they made “Speaking in Tongues.” The beat is funky, jabbed by jumpy rhythm guitar, and Eddie Vedder’s vocal lines hop all over the place, leaping an octave or arguing with themselves in staccato bursts or turning to sustained melody: “Expecting perfection leaves a lot to ignore/When the past is the present and the future’s no more.” Even if its references are obvious, Pearl Jam is clearly pushing itself. JON PARELES

Hayley Williams, ‘Simmer’

This is not pop-punk. Hayley Williams, from Paramore, drives her solo statement (although she’s still collaborating with Paramore’s guitarist Taylor York) with syncopated, almost Caribbean-tinged drums. The song starts with her panting breath pacing the beat; the video shows her on the run, nude, in a horror-movie pursuit. But her voice is levelheaded, refusing to panic, trying to gauge “the line between wrath and mercy” while vowing to protect her child. There’s more tension because she refuses to explode. PARELES

Megan Thee Stallion, ‘B.I.T.C.H.’

Megan Thee Stallion is still trying to determine the best way to package her ferocious, sharp-elbowed rhymes into a package that has both hard and soft appeal. On “B.I.T.C.H.,” she turns for inspiration to a star of an era when that was the norm: 2Pac. “B.I.T.C.H.” updates “Ratha Be Ya ____,” one of his more salacious songs (and itself an update of the Bootsy’s Rubber Band track “I’d Rather Be With You,” the bedrock of many a ’90s rap hit). But while 2Pac’s song was a flirtatious encouragement by a sexual scalawag, Megan’s version is brimming with stern resentment to a man who can’t seem to commit. Not that she’s waiting around: “I got my mind on gettin’ paid, we ain’t spoke in some days/He prolly’ thinkin’ I’m in pain but I’m really on game.” JON CARAMANICA

Mitski, ‘Cop Car’

Mitski unleashes psychic demons and massive grunge guitar chords in this inexorable eruption of a song. She sings with a sociopathic air of control as the music floods in around her — distorted guitars, queasily hyperactive strings — and she sweetly delivers a final threat. PARELES

Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela, ‘We’ve Landed’

Tony Allen, 79, is the Nigerian drummer who helped Fela Kuti invent Afrobeat in the 1970s. Hugh Masekela, who died in 2018, was a South African trumpeter who became symbolic of his country’s long-suppressed culture during the darkest years of apartheid. The two master musicians first met a half-century ago, when Masekela was working with Kuti; they discussed recording an album together for many years before finally doing it in 2010. Now, 10 years later, the results are finally being released. On “We’ve Landed” — the album’s low-key but persuasive debut single — only a simple, repeated bass line and a generous cloud of reverb stand between Allen’s quilted drumming and Masekela’s loose coils of trumpet. GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO

Madame Gandhi, ‘See Me Thru’

The singer, songwriter, drummer and producer Madame Gandhi finds a swinging backbeat — often doubletiming into drum-and-bass — for “See Me Thru,” a dreamily multilayered love song happily buffeted by rhythmic crosscurrents. The extended a cappella vocals over the video credits are an invitation to remix. PARELES

Jessie Reyez, ‘Love in the Dark’

Jessie Reyez has a special voice that’s capable of serrated soul belting and several more nuanced modes. It can sizzle, it can hiss, it can quiver with nerve. On this arresting song about loss, it’s pulsing with perseverance and strength in the face of trauma. The song moves slowly and with reverence, and Reyez is singing with sadness and restraint while drizzling in some of her signature twists. But the raw power of the words is undeniable: “I’d do anything to relive our memories/And listen to your songs play in my head/’Cause I hate the silence, it’s the only thing I get.” CARAMANICA

Wye Oak, ‘Fear of Heights’

“You say it’s worth it for the view,” Jenn Wasner sings to a partner who forces her to confront her fear of heights. The song’s restlessly strummed folk-rock ponders whether the trauma was worth it, circling through possibilities but never settling on an answer. PARELES

Wiz Khalifa featuring Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Yachty and Sueco the Child, ‘Speed Me Up’

Maybe eight months ago, the quasi-comic sleepy-voiced rapper Sueco the Child made his debut with a viral hit, “Fast.” Now he’s on a song with Wiz Khalifa, Lil Yachty and Ty Dolla Sign from the soundtrack to the forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Also: There is a forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Also: Wiz Khalifa persists, rapping about “rings of gold.” This year is already wild. CARAMANICA

Endless Boogie featuring Stephen Malkmus and Matt Sweeney, ‘Jerome’

Guitars, guitars, guitars: churning and tangling and wriggling and racing and squealing. Endless Boogie, founded in 1997, put its concept in its name, bringing Minimalist drone and endurance to basic garage-rock. “Jerome” has Rolling Stones roots — it’s “Live With Me” turned into a manic fixation. Joining the members of Endless Boogie are Stephen Malkmus and Matt Sweeney on additional guitars, keeping things especially frantic. PARELES

Wire has been making lean, cleareyed, dystopian rock since its 1977 debut album, finding the common ground of punk and Minimalist repetition and distilling dire observations into telegraphic lyrics. The band is still trenchant in “Cactused” from its new album, “Mind Hive.” The song has two contrasting sections — one clinically spoke-sung, one ominously cheerful — as the lyrics note “the collective hive mind algorithmically scanning” and warn “Ooh, you better watch your step.” PARELES

Ben Williams, ‘We Shall Overcome’

Soon after he won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, Ben Williams made it clear that he intended to be more than a virtuoso bass player. His debut album, “State of Art” (2011), put him near the top of his class in a generation of jazz musicians just starting to get comfortable with their omnivorous appetite for fusion. Now 35, Williams has stayed that course; on “I Am a Man,” his forthcoming third album, looming synths and steady-rocking beats accompany songs that insist upon perseverance and social justice. The album ends with Williams’s trudging but faintly glamorous take on “We Shall Overcome,” the Civil Rights Movement anthem, with a droning synthesizer alternating between just two chords while Williams sings the lyrics in harmonized overdubs, echoes of D’Angelo’s “Africa” ricocheting around. RUSSONELLO

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/entertainment/pearl-jam-dances-to-a-different-beat-and-11-more-new-songs/

[thegloober]

DiScover: Bouts

Five years on from the release of their debut LP, Nothing Good Gets Away, Dublin indie rock quartet Bouts resurfaced back in May with the triumphant ‘Face Up’. The lead single from the band’s forthcoming second full-length, Flow, it proved an earworming masterstroke from the re-emerging four-piece.

Having formed back in 2011 and shared stages with Cloud Nothings, Yuck and Johnny Marr among others, the band – who are currently scattered across London, Amsterdam and Dublin – are more potent and unapologetically unabashed than ever.

New single ‘Love’s Lost Landings (Pt. 1)’ is a perfect case in point. Accompanied with visuals from French photographer Gwenaëlle Trannoy, it’s an equal parts slick and starry-eyed burst of first-rate indie rock centering around frontman Barry Bracken’s insistent refrain: “Be good to yourself / Be good to me”.

Ahead of a busy few months, and the release of Flow, we catch up with the band to discuss early beginnings, the pros of being based in different cities, the current health of indie rock and more.

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DiS: Hi guys. Take us way back: when did Bouts first become a living, breathing, indie rock-ing entity?

Barry Bracken: Daniel (Flynn – Drums) and I were together more than a year doing a kind of White Stripes two-guys-in-a room thing. Guitars and drums and literally no daylight. Then in mid-to-late 2011, we started to bring in some people to see if what we were doing could be expanded. And so began Bouts as it exists today.

Niall Jackson: In fact, within ten days of joining back in September 2011, I had written four basslines and was in a studio recording our debut EP, which was released in 2011.

You release your second album, Flow, in January. How did you approach this differently to your debut, Nothing Good Gets Away?

NJ: We approached it completely differently. The first album was written and recorded in painstaking detail over the course of 18 months in a makeshift studio/rehearsal space under a railway arch on the Northside of Dublin. Songs were written, deconstructed, and built back up with most vocal melody a very late addition.

BB: There was definitely a sense of over-writing on the first album which, in hindsight, is quite evident. In the 5 years since, the way we approach song-writing has changed. With Flow we did it in intense bursts from November 2016. London first, then a cottage in Connemara, a youth centre in Dublin, and finally back to our first ever rehearsal space in Dublin where Daniel and I spent a lot of time!

NJ: In between a WhatsApp group was where we fleshed out ideas and grievances, so these weekends were almost entirely positive, and have really made us better friends as well as musicians. Everything feels like it was written together. Very few disagreements and lots of “be the solution” attitude towards putting our best feet forward. 18 tracks became the 9 on our record in a really natural and pleasant way.

You’re a Dublin band but you’re all based around Europe. This will obviously have some setbacks, but what are the positives to it, if any?

NJ: The positives are two-fold. Firstly, when we meet up it’s really a matter of digging in, less distractions and more practice. Secondly, we are all taking in different scenes in different cities and bringing them back to each other in a very old-fashioned way. Using the influences of our respective environments for the greater good.

BB: It also gives us a sense of perspective. We enjoy being together. We enjoy being creative. We don’t get too lost in ourselves like we used to and we’re really very focused now when in the room. Rehearsing for lives shows and actually playing live is harder but that’s part of the fun…

‘Face Up’ was a killer first single. Do you think it helps sum up the overarching feeling or sentiment of the album?

BB: That song sort of grounded and catapulted us in this process. It became the fulcrum around which the other songs were built and pointed the way forward in terms of style.

NJ: Definitely, it is very much more outward looking and positive than our previous work. Barry’s lyrics are slightly less wrapped up in metaphor and at some points pure heart-on-sleeve, which matches the 90s style emo music (before it was a bad word) we make so much better. The album is called Flow for a myriad of reasons, not least because it all just looks in the same direction this time.

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Your music is ridiculously earworming. Tell us about the songwriting process that went into the making of this album.

BB: One of the unexpected positives about not being together much as a group means that when we do it’s kind of an adventure. Getting everything together and locking ourselves away in a different location is really just an excuse for a “working holiday.” We play and see what comes out and develop parts and just keep repeating them until we can get a handle or a hook out of it. By now we have an ear for what works and what doesn’t. We don’t waste much time indulging. We experiment with keys, guitars or vocal melodies and see what fits. Usually though, there’s an early motif that guides everything.

NJ: Musically speaking it was a ‘less is more’ attitude, so basslines could be less busy, guitars only played where needed, and Colin often veering more towards keys and synth parts over too much guitar. Drums very much dictated most tracks, everything else sits in between. It is certainly Dan’s (drummer) best work, he would cite Interpol and The National as big influences, and I think you can hear that in his drumming on this one. Once Dan was happy with a drum part it was very easy to find our respective places within.

Re-emerging after five years is a big thing for any band, but you strike me as particularly determined to make the most of this new chapter. Does this mean everything?

NJ: Well, it has always meant everything, but the difference now is we all have our own lives going on too so this one is very much for us, going back to why we did it in the first place. Yes, we’re five years older and have lost that “new car smell,” but we are also better musicians, better friends and write better songs. It will be great if people acknowledge that but it won’t change how we feel about these tracks, whereas it may have crushed us a little before.

‘Love’s Lost Landing Pt. 1’ is the second single from the release. Why did you choose it and tell us about working with Gwenaëlle Trannoy on the video.

BB: It’s a power-pop kind of tune which we allowed ourselves just run with. It’s got a tension and release quality and a rolling momentum and build in the outro. Pretty quickly we realised it was always going to be one of the lead-off songs. We want to work with interesting collaborators for our videos. We have a kind of 50/50 rule; half the time we’ll do it ourselves, the other half we’ll give someone completely free rein to interpret our songs. We like to not make the most obvious choice, but someone who’s got a track record in a visual field and is already working with young Irish musicians. Gwen’s got this really unusual visual eye in her photography – offbeat and stylized – and she did a great video for an Irish band called Whenyoung (‘Pretty Pure’). So we reached out!

You list the likes of Ash, Dinosaur Jr., Pavement, Pixies, Yuck, Yo La Tengo and Weezer as key influences. But which more new-fangled acts are you currently all digging?

NJ: We realised that it is 90% female-led acts that we’re all (independent of each other) listening to these days. Mitski, Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, Pillow Queens. There are plenty of interesting male voices too, IDLES and Ireland’s own Silverbacks are awesome, but it seems the ladies just have more important things to say right now, and maybe it’s time we just shut up and listen.

BB: Yeah we do this thing where we’re almost hive-mind-esque in our listening habits. Lots of overlap at different times.

I’ve heard some crude rumours that indie rock was dead. Is there any basis in those rumours, and how do you feel you’re helping to keep the dream alive?

BB: We’ve never really been in fashion so whether it’s dead or alive wouldn’t make much difference to us!

NJ: Just another journalistic trope that will forever be recycled in an effort to try and box genres and tastes off to a certain period of time. It has been great since it started and will always be great in its own way. Sure, styles will change, and hopefully different people will get a chance to be heard, but indie-rock is here to stay.

Finally, looking forward to the end of the year, the release of Flow in January and beyond, where would you like Bouts to “be” this time next year?

BB: Hopefully the album reaches a few more ears, in a few more places and we get some pleasantly surprising shouts along the way. Gigs, kudos, or actual shouting because someone just really digs our music that much.

NJ: To be heard, to be given a fair roll of the dice, and to just keep enjoying ourselves. Plus, we’re available for all your indie needs.

For more information about Bouts, please visit their Bandcamp.


Source: https://bloghyped.com/discover-bouts/

[holdencaulflied]

a while ago (like two years!!) i was tagged in a “describe ur top 9 formative albums” and i’m supposed to be studying for psych but i’m bored so this is as good of a time as any to talk abt music i guess

these aren’t supposed to be my favorite albums altho a few of them could fit in that category as well- it’s more the albums that i grew with and that helped me define myself at various points throughout my life

don’t panic // all time low- this album bridged me from 5th to 6th grade, and also from elementary to middle school. it was the beginning of me moving past radio hits/what my parents played in the car to finding music that was solely my preference and while i look back at this phase with embarrassment now, listening to lots of punk rock probably helped me branch out and have varied taste in music like i do today. also backseat serenade still goes hard and it’s my guilty pleasure song

marry me // st.vincent- my first foray into alternative/indie music, and also to st.vincent, who still releases amazing albums to this day. but honestly this was the soundtrack to my 7th grade year, when i was moving past the fall out boy/atl/panic! at the disco stage. paris is burning is one of the first songs i remember crying about. i listened to this album so much it’s like almost sacred now like i don’t listen to it as much bc i don’t wanna ruin the opinions i have on it by finding flaws i just want it to be a defining part of my life

pure heroine // lorde- my comfort food of albums. this came out when i was in 8th grade and it perfectly encapsulated everything about growing up and being unsure of yourself yet feeling like you knew everything. i still play this album a lot because it has stayed consistently relatable and i can appreciate the lyrics so much more now. ribs, the love club, and buzzcut season are the holy trinity of lorde songs. also lorde was my first every live concert and that is smth rlly special that i will remember forever bc literally my favorite thing is experiencing music u love live. lyrics like “we’re slipping off the course we prepared” and “my heart jumps around when i’m alluded to” stuck with me SO MUCH and this whole album really raised my standards in that i began listening more to lyrics instead of just songs i thought sounded cool

modern vampires of the city // vampire weekend- 8th or 9th grade?? definitely at the beginning of high school, but super formative because this is when i really began digging deep into spotify and finding artists and music that people wouldn’t just recommend to me. i really started seeing music as more of just a hobby to smth constant. songs like unbelievers and step and obvious bicycle were stuff i would always tell ppl to listen to- especially this was before vampire weekend became super popular it felt like i had like my own little personal album. vampire weekend in general also led to my love for indie rock/pop which has consistently been my most listened to genre since 9th grade, and although i’ve definitely changed my overall music taste from vw, there’s a lot of forever good songs on this album.

transatlanticism // death cab for cutie- holy shit this album is one of the saddest things i’ve ever listened to, and that is including high violet by the national. i probably listened to this album of my own accord the first time in 9th grade because before that my dad used to play it in the car and i wouldn’t really pay attention. but then i listened to title and registration (which is one of the first songs i remember sobbing my eyes to) and was like dad holy fuck this song is incredible. and this album is so important to me because while my dad and i disagree on a lot death cab is a common love that i think just brought us closer together. its a whole ass masterpiece like expo’86 is SO SAD yet i smile every time it comes on, and most of the lyrics aren’t obscure and twisty like a lot of other bands i listen to, yet i feel like they always pack the hardest punch

bankrupt! // phoenix- this album isn’t as formative as it is an eye-opener. it was one of the first times i began to realize music could be just as political and make points just as effectively as any op-ed, sometimes even more so. i think i listened to it sometime in 10th grade, and the line “lost ur mind on a cruise ship, bartending crucial lies” made a bigger point abt capitalism and poverty than most article i’d read. also the songs are just fucking catchy and the production is pretty great. oblique city, sos in bel air, and chloroform are some of my all time favorite songs. also the transition from drakkar noir into chloroform is like incredible and i freak out every time i hear it. 

bury me at makeout creek // mitski- mitski is a force of nature in the form of guitars and words. her new album puberty 2 is amazing but i feel like this is the album that i really related to end of sophomore going into junior year. mitski is like a weird mix of straight up electric guitar and rock like remo drive and also soft-spoken indie like moses sumney and it’s great. last words of a shooting star is my favorite song off this album and the part where she is like “i’m glad my room is at least neat so when i’m gone i’ll be remembered kindly” is so!! like u don’t think abt life in terms like that but the fact that a lot of the time you’re only remembered by other’s perceptions of you is fucking sobering. 

i’m not your man // marika hackman- ok i’ve loved marika hackman ever since i heard her cover of i follow rivers by lykke li and this album!! holy shit!! it’s so versatile but also so honest and heartfelt and somehow brutally witty at parts. i listened to it probably when it first came out, which was like either end of junior year or summer before senior year and i’m definitely at a part of life where i need constant new music- like ppl are like manasa is my personal shazam bc i never can stick to one genre or artist and i can pick song recs out of thin air so the fact that i listened to this album for like three months straight is a sign of how incredibly good it is.on a more personal note i came to terms with my bisexuality around the end of junior year, and to hear marika hackman unapologetically refer to running away with girls/falling in love with girls was so relatable at the time. it still is. i love gina’s world, round we go, and violet with all my heart. yeah the lyrics are confusing and often obscure and it is often a hard album to listen to because there are virtually no catchy hooks or choruses that grab onto you but it’s incredibly written and means so much to me.

landmark // hippo campus- AND finally, the album that has been on repeat for the past few months. i’ve always loved hippo campus from the first EP they released back in like 2014, but this is the first full album that they put out and jesus christ did it deliver and give me everything i ever wanted! my two favorite songs by them (warm glow and the halocline) aren’t even on this album but it’s still so perfect! the first time i listened to it all the way through was transcendental. sun veins into way it goes is seamless and perfectly executed. and some of these songs are so so so meaningful and sad and others are just upbeat and fun but then you listen to the lyrics and it’s like oh shit wow there’s so much i didn’t catch. i love this album and this band with all my heart i’ve seen them live twice (50% of their concert funds go to planned parenthood) and it was incredible. the way jake luppen says “solipsistic overtones” in western kids is amazing. the whole of buttercup is great the first time i heard “holy hell i can tell that you hate me, dying moon keep me up keep me waiting” i died a little. way it goes i could talk about forever with lyrics like “degenerate, counter-culture crying socialist, hip-to-lazed crazed abstractionist” like oh my god the genius it took to rhyme that stuff. also the whole of poems and epitaph is amazing and makes me cry. i love this album the most