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bmpmp3 · 4 years

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what up sluts ive been having to be taken off an ssri cause i got allergic to it or something so ive been kinda fucked up these past few weeks sorry for being so MIA blows a kiss anywya im wanna talk about my hot aqours movie take that i never get to talk about because the only person i know whos as into love live as much as i am is a u’s purist but i am literally thhinking about it 20 four seven and its not hot in the slightest that was a lie its not really cold either its just no one cares as much as i do about this one specific thing but like DAMN the music choices are.....strange

LIKE they start off fantastically with just a very good and very long but catchy broadway esque opening with bokura no hshdjfdaaejgdsnsmfds... and i personally dont mind that the third years are the only ones who get a specific song just for them (unlike how each year group got a song in the u’s movie) cause the aqours is about saying goodbye to the third years and a sorta passing of the torch for the others to continue on while the the muse movie is about honoka breaking the time stream and also saying goodbye to the group as a whole

anyway i adore bokura no something or other its such a good opening and i love mobius loop something or other (although it wasnt given enough time to breath and really be memorable i found) and hop stop nonstop rules its one of those love like songs that are so painfully catchy they stockholm you into loving them like puwa puwa o or cotton candy ei ei oh and i love its high energy and the visuals for it are very fun (i know its goofy how fast maris mother conflict was resolved but like i dunno i dont expect anything in love live to be necessarily....well written)

and youve got believe again which is great although not my favourite saint snow song (its really hard to beat self control qwq) but man i think they did saint snow a little dirty by following it up with like the best song in the movie brightest melody like WHAT happened there WHY did you bust ur best song nut so FAST theres still like half an hour left of the movie!!! what are you gonna do now!!!!

okay i might be overhyping it but brightest melody is so good tho like i personally wish it was a third years center or even a mari center vocally for narrative and aesthetic (the third years outfits being different) reasons but its so GOOD the outfits rule and i love the quick change, plus not to be like the cinnamon tography but like.....the sin of man tography......... the greatest moment of that movie is right at the first line of the chorus where its like KIIIIIIRA kiRA and theres this loud drum bang and the entire screen lights up as the sun rises.......god it rules, i also think its just a great song with very classic aqours sound with like the emphasize on drum beats and the very going forward into the future oriented tone and lyrics like im biased most of my favourite aqours songs include water blue new world mirai ticket and miracle wave jhkfeasdska i know what i like and its key changes............ anyway that song kinda overshadows believe again which is a shame but then the biggest musical crime the movie commits happens next and im still upset about this

i said brightest melody was the best song but thats not entirely true, its the best song with a visual performance, but kiseki hikaru......kiseki hikaru....its SHAFTED.....RELEGATED TO MONTAGE MUSIC ONLY.......WHADDA HELL like GODDAMN not to be a whore for key changes and lietmotifs but literally its the theme for the past season if you use that you can just make the entire audience cry for free and i cant believe they squandered it just to follow it up with the most boring song in the world next sparkling

im sorry ill try not to be too mean to next sparkling its still a good song i mean its a love live song i dont know what kinda intense secret process these musicians go through to perfectly manufacture the greatest possible idol anime music in the world but they know what theyre doing alright

but man next sparkling just kinda deflates the energy the rest of the movies music was building... i dont really compare a lot of the aqours movie to the muse movie because again the muse movie is about honoka becoming her own grandpa or something and the aqours movie is about saying goodbye to the third years but i will say they shoulda taken some tips from bokutachi wa hitotsu no hikari with how to end off a movie, fitting lyrics and tone (a bittersweet goodbye, we’ll be together in our hearts, that sorta thing) plus the cute lyrics with the girls names in em and the little references to past songs........fantastic

or hell they shoulda taken pointers from the past aqours seasons like mirai ticket rules and water blue new world with wonderful stories is a double whammy of fantastic ways to end off ur anime, but like next sparkling feels like a filler b side off a single this doesnt feel like ur goodbye song it barely feels like an aqours song outside of the drum machines jfsakdsa too much emphasis on guitars and synths (that always felt more like a muse thing, aqours feels more about loud bombastic beats and strong chorus melodies while muse is more into guitar riffs and solos and super good song openers) the chorus too similar to the verses and the energy too consistent throughout where it kinda blends together as a six minute slog to the point where the one fun and creative thing they do, having the third years not appear until the middle of the song, is barely noticeable because of how samey it sounds hhygiurwejfsdsklsjfds although i think the structure may have been more effective if maybe like they started with the third years and they vanished half way through but maybe appears again near the end in the choruses and maybe some fun vocalizations to symbolize that even tho theyre moving on to the next stage of their lives theyre still there in spirit or something jreihrkdnjfs i dunno

what i really think they needed tho was a catchy song more in line with aqours usual running-forward-to-the-future building up sound but with some musical references to both the main themes of the second season (like with kiseki hikaru) but also the main theme of the first season and maybe even a hint of stuff from bokura no hwiurhjekgrsfeajsgrkfed from the beginning of the movie, or maybe a similar tone to it to sorta bookend it with a bit of broadway flare...or maybe references to the third years solo songs???? or hell some refs to mijuku dreamer???? i need references sunrise, i need references to past music so i can remember how far weve come and cry, do you want my tears sunrise? do you want my tears? give me references sunrise. give me references

anyway this literally only matters to me and nobody else feels that strongly but i think next sparkling is such a lame ender for aqours anime run and everyday i have to deal with the fact that their gonna try to use it as aqours bokutachi wa hitostu no hikaru and theyre gonna try to make me feel with it and im gonna feel nothing and be bummed because i wanna feel

oh well like the next thing they released animation wise with aqours after the movie was the music video for mitaiken horizon and today i was watching that and i did start crying so maybe they learned a little too late how to make us feel with aqours hjedgksfndkasjkfdla

its about the key shifts, its always the key shifts

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dust2dust34 · 5 years

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It’s Always Been You (4/6, Olicity AU, T)

Summary: We get the origin of ‘Olicity,’ hear Oliver’s ‘f*ck you, Ray’ voice, and wait, who kissed who first?

A/N: Read previous chapters here. Thank you so much for the amazing response! I really enjoy this update, I hope you do, too!

(read on AO3)

Wine. Stat.

Streamers, balloons, and cheap flashing lights bombarded them when they walked into the decked-out gymnasium. Starling City High had gone all out, recreating a visual monstrosity she thought only existed in the movies.

“Oh my,” Felicity said.

“Tommy doesn’t know how to do understated.”

“He never did, if I remember correctly. It actually makes the fact that he’s principal even funnier, honestly. And on that note, how exactly did that happen?”

People spotted Oliver as if he had a neon sign plastered to his forehead.

The greetings and shoulder hits were for him. She got the double takes. Admittedly it was probably because she looked nothing like she used to, but it was also likely because she was with the Oliver Queen. The thought ‘Oh god, this is a monumentally bad idea’ hit her just as Oliver stiffened under the barrage. And he didn’t pause long enough for people to talk past the greetings. Actually, he seemed as uncomfortable as she felt being at the center of it with him.

“Tommy becoming principal?” Oliver asked, continuing their conversation despite the people interrupting. “It started with his mom, actually. You know the Merlyns have those clinics in the Glades? She extended those services to the high schools when the budgets started getting too tight to keep anyone on-staff, and it eventually morphed into other things, like counseling. When she got cancer, Tommy took over, and one second he was working with kids in the clinics, then he was at the schools, and then he was on staff here. He says he charmed his way into the job, but it’s actually because he’s really good at it. Shockingly good, even. And he’s amazing with the kids.”

“And is Laurel a teacher here, too?” Felicity asked, noticing the leggy woman at the beverage bar where she helped make drinks. Her yearning for wine evaporated.

“No,” he replied. “She’s a lawyer. But she’s heavily involved with things here.”

“So it’s true what they say about school spirit never dying?”

Oliver chuckled. “No. More a hazard of being married to the principal.”

“Uh… Huh?” Felicity looked up at him. “Please explain that sentence.”

A loud, “Oh my god,” stopped Oliver before he could.

They both stopped short when a familiar face appeared before them. Cisco Ramon looked exactly like he did in high school - same hair, same faux-suit shirt with a loose jacket, and the same excited look as his eyes darted between them with a grin.

“You two.”

Oh god.

“Cisco. No,” Felicity said firmly. “And also, hi, it’s been so long. Please stop talking. Bye.”

She grabbed Oliver’s arm to move around him, but Cisco dodged in front of her before they could get away. “Oh no, I don’t think so, Smoak. Because I knew it.”

“Knew what?” Oliver asked.

Or she thought he asked that. She vaguely heard the question coming from the general area where he stood, but it got lost in the rush of white noise crashing through her ears.

“Did she tell you what I used to call you guys?” Cisco asked.

“No,” Felicity said loudly. Very loudly, judging by the people turning to look from around them.

“Olicity.” Cisco grinned, his entire face animated as he waited for a response. “Right? Oliver. Felicity. Olicity. I always saw you guys hunkered together at the little table in the library, and you always started at opposite ends of the table, but by the end of the day, you were…” He made a noise as he clapped his hands. “A walking, talking trope come to life right before my eyes. I knew something was going on between you two and now here you are. C’mon, gimme the deets, when did this happen? Right after high school, right? How come I haven’t heard anything about this?”

Felicity was too stunned to do anything save for whispering, “Oh god.”

“Oh, hey!” Cisco said to someone over her shoulder. He pointed at her, then Oliver. “I expect the full story. With pictures, if possible.”

And then he was off.

Felicity blinked. “Did that just happen?”

“I think it did,” Oliver said and oh dear god, that only reminded her that Oliver heard those words coming out of Cisco’s mouth. Felicity groaned and she bowed her head. She tried to take her hand back from him to cover her face, but he didn’t let her, instead tugging her closer as he turned her to face him. It would have been sweet except she could hear the laughter in his voice as he asked, “Olicity, huh?”

“Oh no. No, sorry, no, that’s not an applicable topic of conversation tonight. Nope. That didn’t happen.” Felicity flashed him a falsely bright smile. “Hey, you wanna get drunk? Let’s get drunk.”

He laughed and smoothed his free hand down her arm. “I think it’s catchy. What’s a trope?”

“It’s nothing we’re going to be talking about,” Felicity replied and it only made him laugh more. She meant to glare up at him, but the sight of that toothy grin and the crinkles at his eyes and the dimples and… And it only reminded her that the word ‘Olicity’ had been spoken to his face. “I suddenly really don’t care who’s serving the drinks, let’s get something because I doubt that will be the last interruption-”

“Felicity!”

“Frak,” she breathed, freezing at the voice, immediately recognizing it. She made a face and then plastered on a smile as she turned. “Ray. Hi.”

“Hey.” The Superman-esque man bounced up to them with an infectious grin. It dimmed slightly when he saw Oliver, but it didn’t go away, especially when he turned all of it right back at her. “It’s so good to see you. I haven’t seen you since that conference in Vegas. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

This was truly the night from hell. It was almost laughable that she had thought this would be a good idea. She was a moron.

“It was a last minute decision,” Felicity said. She yanked on Oliver’s arm. “You know Oliver, right?”

“Of course,” Ray replied, holding his hand out. “Oliver Queen. I hear you’re teaching here now.”

“Ray.” The sudden change in the cadence in his voice sent an unexpected shiver down Felicity’s spine. It distracted her enough from the unwanted walk down memory lane as she looked up at him, watching a smile that was decidedly not genuine. Oliver shook Ray’s hand. “I do teach here, yes.”

Felicity had never put much stock in the deep voice thing, but now? She kind of got it.

“We were just about to hit the dance floor,” Oliver continued.

“Yes,” Felicity added, stepping towards the area where people were already moving in a giant group to whatever song was playing. It didn’t matter, in the slightest. “We were. Gotta fill that dancing card.”

“Save a dance for me, maybe?” Ray asked.

“Yeah. Maybe.”

Felicity didn’t have to drag Oliver out to the dance floor, he was right behind her. One hand hovered on her back, warm and steady, and his other grabbed her elbow to steer her towards the farther edges of the group. It was only then she realized she’d been headed straight for the middle, as if all the dancing bodies would hide her from any other familiar faces. Which was the exact opposite point of a reunion, wasn’t it? Why had she thought this would be fun? She wanted to blame Curtis, and she consciously did…

But a voice reminded her that there had been another reason altogether.

That reason stopped short and pulled her against his chest as a slower song came on. He wrapped an arm around her and captured her other hand in his as he started swaying.

“What is my life right now?” Felicity asked under her breath.

“What?”

“Nothing. Nothing, just… A lot has happened already, right? Like, a lot.”

“It has. I figured at least out here, people would wait until the song was over before trying to walk down memory lane.” He looked down at her. “I hope that was okay what I did back there, with the dancing. It was the only thing I could think of to get out of that. He really hasn’t changed since high school.”

“Definitely okay. Definitely. You’re the only one I want to dance with.”

A slow smile pulled at his lips. “Yeah?”

“You always have been.”

Did she really just say that?

She decided she didn’t care as she watched his smile grow. It took over his entire face, and she thought, God, he’s beautiful.

“I usually hate dancing,” he mused softly even as he slid his hand up her back and tugged her closer. Felicity gladly leaned into his embrace. His hand sprawled over her upper back, cocooning her, and she wound her arm around him as he started running his fingertips up and down her spine.

Warmth unfurled deep inside her.

“Well, I’m glad to be the exception,” she replied as she let herself snuggle into his chest. He wrapped her up and her eyes fluttered shut. His stubble chin brushed the top of her head, then her forehead…

When he pressed a kiss to her temple, she couldn’t hide her sigh.

He stiffened.

“Is that okay?” Oliver asked quietly and she looked up at him. “I’m just now realizing we didn’t really talk about what we’re doing here, and I keep doing that. Kissing your forehead. If that’s not okay, I’ll-”

“No, please. I like it. It’s… nice. Besides, you already kissed me earlier, so it’s not anything new, per se-”

Oliver furrowed his brow. “You kissed me.”

“What? No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

“Oliver, I have that entire interaction memorized,” Felicity told him. “Me busting into your coffee shop bubble - and trust me, I have gone over that moment so many times because how didn’t I know that was you? Because I should have. But I was so crazy and not thinking and also, what are the odds? And then you were you, and then you asked me if I needed a boyfriend, and you said, you know… what you said, and then you leaned in and you… You kissed me.”

“That all happened, yes, except I didn’t go all the way.”

Felicity frowned. “Yes, you did.”

His smile was pinched as if he wanted to break out into a full-fledged grin. “No. I didn’t. You kissed me, Felicity.”

“No,” she argued, rewinding back to that moment. “No, I… I… Oh god, I did. I kissed you, didn’t I? Oh god, I blocked that part. Because I threw myself at you. Not even smooth throwing, just throwing. That was our first kiss? That’s not good. That’s a horrible first kiss. Not that I’m insinuating there’s going to be more. Especially if that’s what we’ll be following up-”

“I don’t know, I actually liked it.”

“Oh, really?” she asked. “You like when people just go right for it, like…” Felicity put two fingers together and pushed them up against his lips with a definitive, “That.”

A steady bolt of awareness arched between them as they both stopped moving. They stared at each other for a beat until common sense knocked reality back into her head. Just as she felt his lips - his very soft, very kissable lips - moving under her fingers, she yanked them back.

Ha, and he was worried about kissing her forehead when here she was finger molesting his mouth-

Why did her brain think the way it did?

“You know,” Oliver mused as she flushed at her thoughts, ducking her head. “We could try again.”

“What?” Felicity asked, jerking her head up again.

He stared at her intently and her stomach bottomed out. She was suddenly vividly aware of his hand in hers, that his fingers were stroking hers, that he dragged his thumb up and down her palm. He slowly licked his lips and her eyes dropped to his mouth.

“Can I kiss you, Felicity?”

She couldn’t have looked away from him even if she wanted to, and it was then she knew he had her. Completely. Totally. And she didn’t want to be anywhere else. Not for anything. Not when the boy she’d had a crush on for as long as she could remember looked at her like that, when he held her as if maybe, just maybe, there was more going on here, that maybe…

She nodded.

Oliver leaned in, brushing his nose against hers, his lips caressing hers in a hint of what was to come…

A promise.

Felicity sighed, melting into him.

He kissed her.

Soft, so soft. She parted her lips, just a bit, just enough to get more as she kissed him back. Hints of mint and something that was solely him flooded her senses. They moved together, kissing, tasting, gentle and easy. His tongue drifted over her lips and she made a tiny noise of approval, angling her head to match his as she sought out more of him, her hand sliding up to cup his jaw. His fingers dug into her back at the touch, a little moan slipping out. The needy sound hit her square in the chest. Her heart squeezed and she arched up on her toes to get as close as possible, wanting nothing more than to kiss this man for the rest of her life…

And she did, she thought. She wanted that.

And maybe he did, too.

They pulled apart slowly, but not completely. Both of them chased chaste kisses from the other that set her entire being on fire.

God, she couldn’t catch her breath.

“Felicity?” Oliver finally whispered, his voice ragged and thick.

“Hmm?”

He pulled back to look at her. He was even more gorgeous with flushed cheeks and wet lips.

“I need to ask you for that favor now.”

Thank you for reading! More tomorrow! Reviews literally feed the soul and muse!

#olicity #olicity fic #olicity fanfic #olicity fanfiction #olicitysquee #oliver queen #felicity smoak #olicity au #my fics #my fics: au #it's always been you #arrow #fanfiction

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interesting-blog-name · 4 years

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“Indie Rock” MEGAREVIEW (Hippo Campus - Bashful Creatures/Bad Suns - Language & Perspective/COIN - How Will You Know If You Never Try)

“Indie rock” is a term I never understood. It obviously should be used to describe rock by independent bands, but what counts as independent anymore? Bands like Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse are categorized as “indie”, much like Mac DeMarco, and they have reached a point in their careers of worldwide fame, but they’re still considered “indie”, not because they record their music at home with a $15 mic, but because of their sound. It’s hard to describe, but it’s a light brand of rock that has undistorted guitars, pop structures, and something of a Summer vibe to them. I really don’t know how to technically describe indie rock as a genre, but I have yet to listen to an indie rock album, so I got three short albums from bands that my some of my friends listen to, all under the “indie” umbrella (according to Wikipedia), to see if I actually like the style.

Hippo Campus – Bashful Creatures

It’s a solid EP. Not much more to say.

I really don’t know what to comment on in this, because I feel like the biggest problem with the “indie” “genre” is that the bands all sound the same, and for a 6-track EP, how much variety can you really ask for? Also considering this is their debut EP. The instrumentation is fine, especially the guitars, which I think really embody the whole summertime feel of the genre, and standout in almost all tracks here, and the singer’s voice is memorable enough, and doesn’t leave anything to be desired at any point. He’s also super hot The songwriting is that youthful, lovey dovey shit you’d hear in a teen romance movie (“Art school girl with ignorant bliss. Peace, weed, cocaine, and mushrooms and shit”) but it’s tolerable (except in Souls, that song’s chorus is a little too generic for me, I think; even though I like how the song starts kind of toned down and suddenly blows up). The closest the EP gets to having even the slightest bit of edge is on the title track, an anthem about not caring about what others think and being yourself, and Suicide Saturday, the biggest song in here, which talks about social suicide and college parties and all that. Unfortunately, they’re also the most forgettable songs.

Sophie So has a really catchy hook, and showcases Jake’s higher pitched vocals very well, it is easily my favorite song. On Little Grace, the biggest change-up is the dub rhythm that sneaks up in the middle of the song, but it doesn’t stand out, and the chorus is the most annoying in the EP. Opportunistic has a fast cadence to it that sets it apart a little bit, plus the guitar fingering is notable, but the track isn’t anything superb or whatever.

It is executed well, doesn’t bring anything new, but I’d listen to it in the car.

FAVORITE TRACK: Sophie So

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: Bashful Creatures

Like a 6/10

“You came back, you wanted to see through my two-colored eyes. You left me at home with a handful of downtrodden sighs.”

Bad Suns – Language & Perspective

I had known Cardiac Arrest for almost three years now, an upbeat song I’d enjoyed a little, so I chose Bad Suns for the second album, and I was disappointed.

After the first three tracks, I had the feeling Language & Perspective had nothing interesting to offer, and I was mostly right. Nearly all songs here could be described as something like “indie-pop”, but with a huge emphasis on the “pop” aspect. The tracks are all so goddamn formulaic and predictable, songs like Take My Love and Run, Learn to Trust and We Move Like the Ocean sound like they literally copy-paste themselves halfway into them until they end, and Sleep Paralysis swaps what could be an actual verse with like 20 seconds of onomatopoeia. The song topics are generic and bland as well, most of them being about “[coming] to you on my hands and knees” and dreaming about an ex late at night and stuff like that, or general teenage anxiety and overthinking, and that would be tolerable if the band at least said it with some kind of variation, but they don’t, it’s just surface-level love and regret songs back to back.

An exception to the bland songwriting in the album is the song Salt, where lead singer Christo sings from the perspective of his transgender friend. I’m not trans, so I can’t relate nor understand if the lyrics are accurate, but the thing is he isn’t either. From the Genius annotations, it seems the friend was pleased though, and said the feelings expressed in the song were things she actually felt, but was never able to describe, so I guess that’s cool of him to dedicate a whole song to her experience. Still, unfortunately the track isn’t such a standout instrumentally or vocally, but one thing I liked was how the hook finishes at the end of the song, when “these memories are nothing to me, just salt” becomes “salt to the wound”, so yeah that was cool.

Language & Perspective is at its best when the hooks are catchy and you just don’t give a fuck. Songs like Cardiac Arrest, We Move Like the Ocean and Pretend are super easy to sing along to, and sound perfect for when you’re in a car driving against the sun (I know I said the exact same thing for the last album leave me alone), especially because of Bowman’s impressive singing, but without that thin veil of sugary pop, what does this album have that stands out? Matthew James, Take My Love and Run, Transpose (which sounds like it could be on a really corny Nike commercial) and Learn to Love just aren’t as memorable and fun, and so they end up coming off as generic, bland and at times annoying, just because they don’t hold up to the melodic fun little hooks on the other songs.

I can’t hate on Dancing on Quicksand and Rearview however, as even though the first’s lyrics aren’t standouts, I can’t help but love how groovy the song is, and the latter, while the melodies aren’t the most memorable here, the lyrics, to me, sound like they have a little more life and personality to them, even if they remain somewhat vague. I have to admit Sleep Paralysis is a mixed highlight for me, despite the lyrics being especially repetitive, just because of how grand the ending sounds and how the eerier chord progression brings at least something new to the album.

Also, really quick before I wrap it up, why the fuck is 20 Years not in the album? It’s in an EP they released the same year which features Cardiac Arrest, Transpose and Salt and it would easily be my favorite track if it was in the tracklist, maybe because it’s just really relatable to me how your teen years pass without you noticing, but it’s also so mellow and would bring such a refreshing little moment in the record.

My difficulties with this album is that I do like and see myself in the future bumping a lot of these songs individually, if I shut down a few parts of my brain and disregard half the lyrics, but when they’re all crumbled together into a project, their single qualities fade and their flaws unite to form a pretty unsatisfying listen; nearly all songs feel static, formulaic, and don’t progress or amount to much – which is pretty noticeable if you realize all songs span from 3:03 to 3:53 minutes - and the instrumentation brings almost nothing to the overall experience, it’s pretty much a backdrop for Bowman to sing his heart over, without much personality of its own. So while it’s not awful, it’s not good either.

FAVORITE TRACKS: Dancing on Quicksand, Rearview

LEAST FAVORITE TRACKS: Learn to Trust, Take My Love and Run

4.7/10

“You let your hair down, your face is made up, you know this town so well”

COIN – How Will You Know If You Never Try

COIN is the least familiar band of the three here, as I’ve only heard Growing Pains from them and I don’t remember anything from the track, but as a quick intro, the band is from Nashville, Tennessee and consisted of 4 members: Chase Lawrence on vocals and synthesizer, Ryan Winnen on drums, Joe Memmel on guitar and backing vocals, and Zach Dyke on bass until he left two years ago.

After listening to the first three tracks of the album, my expectations were pretty high, but after finishing, I feel like this album is reminiscent of a poorly-heated microwave meal: the first three tracks are decreasingly good, the middle of the album is raw, and the last three go back to being increasingly good, with the only exception being the bright spot that is track 7, Heart Eyes, a romantic, entrancing little jam that I can’t help but love.

My big grip with HWYKIYNT is that, for 11 tracks, COIN doesn’t let go of the ear-destroying instrumental breakdowns (it’s not like it’s heavy metal or anything, but the mixing makes it sound like the guitars blow up at some points), tuned up guitars and formulaic song structures, and that leads to many tracks becoming rather forgettable amongst the others. There are, of course, exceptions, but they’re few and I’d say not well-located within the album: Don’t Cry, 2020 is the big standout in the album for me, and I fell in love with it first listen (the context of today being 2020 also helps, I guess), Boyfriend’s defining synth-line and bubblegum qualities make for a lot of enjoyment, especially paired with the light-hearted passive-aggressiveness and rejection on the lyrics, and Talk Too Much, their biggest song, has some cute little lyrics, and an ultra-pop hook that centers the whole song around it and is impossible not so sing along to; but immediately after, the album starts to slow down its hype with I Don’t Wanna Dance, which has an appealing vocal performance by Chase, and starts promisingly with the synths, but is too simple to go anywhere.

Hannah is probably the most forgettable song here, and brings absolutely nothing to the album, and Are We Alone?’s lyrics are cute and focused but really simplistic; in this song specifically, I think the breakdown the band employs right after the hook is really unnecessary, and the song would do better without it. After that is Heart Eyes, which I’ve mentioned before as one of my favorites, mostly because it tones it down a bit, something that really needed to happen at some point this deep into the record.

The song Lately II contains the hidden track Nothing Matters and deals with Chase losing his newborn nephew, a sequel to Lately off the band’s debut album. On the outside, it sounds like just another cheerful song, but the lyrics taken into context I’m sure are very meaningful to Chase and his family; besides that I enjoy the heavier drums in this track and the loose vocal melodies right after the chorus, plus the closing instrumentals are also a nice addition, but I don’t really understand the need to include a hidden track into it; I understand the themes are intertwined, but it could have very well been a separate track, and the way it is slightly harms the song when isolated from the album into, for example, a playlist or a one-time listen, but whatever.

I don’t have much to say about Feeling, it’s your average hype indie-rock track, something you’d maybe hear in a FIFA video game soundtrack, but to its credit, it doesn’t go overboard in itself, the vocals and guitar performances feel very grounded and safe, in a good way. And to finish this off, Miranda Beach brings some solid guitars to the table, they feel very textured and pierce through every other sound; the song is definitely one of the most infectious and ear-catching on here. Closing it all up, Malibu 1992 is the slow jam the album was in need of for 11 tracks. Very stripped back and patient compared to the rest of the song, which makes it stand out naturally, but that doesn’t mean the song is superb or anything, it’s just a refreshing taste.

Throughout a lot of the tracks here I was waiting for something more, a slightly different approach to a song, more introspective lyrics, but it never really came in a way that stood out, and because of that, the start of the album ends up more solid than the rest of it, in my opinion. It isn’t a bad album, but it isn’t amazing either. I feel it’s very derivative, the lyrics are not a standout, and while some songs may be bops, I don’t feel it is strong as a whole project.

FAVORITE TRACKS: Don’t Cry, 2020; Miranda Beach; Talk Too Much; Heart Eyes

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: Hannah

I’m feeling a strong 5 to a light 6 on this one.

“You’re so concerned about your future, yeah, but tomorrow’s just another day.”

#hippo campus #bad suns #coin #indie rock #rock #bashful creatures #language & perspective #how will you know if you never try #album #review #album review #ep #EP Review #boring ass day

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dnpsuck · 5 years

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once you get around to listening to lover what did you think !!! im v curious on your opinions about it heh

thank u for wanting my opinion. i thought i was gonna make it a brief review thingy but i cannot be brief for the life of me. i’m sorry. anyway,

i’mthankful it’s a long album because based on me! i knew i’d like it. not thatme! is a masterpiece or anything but it’s brighter and more fun than herprevious era which i Did Not like. i know reputation is, taylor swift history-wise, important. it’san album she did no press for and allowed the songs speak for themselves and i really like this idea and the sentiment behind it, i’m just Not A Fan of the execution. edgy taylor swift doesn’twork for me. don’t blame me slaps tho. i’ll probably compare these songs to alot of reputation, sorry.

anyway. loveris a more colorful album and probably my favorite pop album from ms. swift, i’m not good at like. Grading things so i won’t be like ‘this is a 8.5 kind of album’ cause like. i don’t know numbers? what you need to know is that it’s a good album. let’s gowith the tracks:

may i add that this is not coming from a taylor swift fan, however i have several friends who are into taylor swift so it’s hard not to get the slightest 2nd hand interest.

i forgot that you existed: was excited as soon as it started! theproduction is lighter and less dramatic. i feel like contrary to reputationwhere she was kind of obsessed with the people who hurt her and betrayed her inthe previous years, this song is a nice way of letting go. a nicer, yet stillkind of shady, revenge by being like. Oh. You Mean Nothing To Me Anymore.

fave lyrics: “it isn’t love, it isn’thate, it’s just indifference so.. yeah.”

��cruel summer: the chorus…. amazing! i remember reallydisliking her reputation singles, especially “ready for it” because it was veryunnecessarily dark and, again – in my opinion – dark and edgy doesn’t work fortaylor swift. BUT, rfi had that chorusthat escaped the intense beats and kind of went back a little to her 1989 eraand it’s the one thing from the song that i actually tolerated. and i feel likeall of cruel summer is song that fits the melody of the rfi chorus better thanrfi itself. does that make sense?

fave lyrics:the entire bridge but especially: “i don’twanna keep secrets just to keep you” and “i love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”

lover: 11/10. fucked me the fuck up. it’s a song aboutlove that isn’t a still-too-fresh-and-uncertain love, or some angsty love. it’sjust love. she’s properly in love and is singing about it with somuch care and certainty. it’s a happy song about the one she loves and how could i hate it? bestsong in the entire album. probably my 2nd fave taylor swift song ofall time

favelyrics: “with every guitar string scar onmy hand” so much is being said in this one fucking line. i absolutelyfucking love it. the fact that this song was 100% written by her is a big plus.

the man: honestly was kinda stressed about the kind of discoursethis one could cause, especially cause of the lack of addressing the whitenessof it all but idk. this is her ownexperience so how much can we ask from her? and also in many ways this feels like 5years late but i’m not gonna complain about this. better late than never (andshe has addressed sexism in her songs before so it’s not like she’s just starting at feminism). she’s made severalpoints w this one and it sounds good.

favelyrics: the part where she’s like “what if i was bragging about the models i’mfucking?” cause like. girl is aware of aspecific group in her fandom and i appreciate the little nod (it being real ornot)

archer: love the lyrics. this was like. the 3rdsong from this album that she released and i was So Relieved to actually SEEsongwriter taylor swift coming through. it’s a great song about self hatred andreflection, etc. but i’ve listened to it enough times to know i’m gonna be skippingthis one when i’m listening to this album.

favelyrics: “screaming ‘who could ever leaveme darling?’ but who could stay?”

i think he knows: the chorus and her vocals… *chef’s kiss*. loveit. cute crush song. more mature yet fun style that works for her.

fave lyrics:all of the chorus.

miss americana: i get it, i see the politics of it all but. i’mgonna skip it. soz

favelyrics: “my team is losing, battered andbruising i see the high fives between the bad guys”

paper rings: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS. again, pure,happy, bubbly, unashamed love. a love bop that i adore.

fave lyrics:“i like shiny things but i’d marry youwith paper rings / i hate accidents except when we went from friends to this”

corneliastreet: it’s a nostalgic song that i can’t decide if it’s exactly abreak-up song or not. i like to think the “sacrednew beginning / that became my religion” lyrics are a nod to her bestreputation song aka don’t blame me. i’m so-so on this one but it’s definitely notbad, don’t think i’ll be skipping it for now.

favelyrics: “that’s the kinda heartbreak timecould never mend / (…) and baby i get mystified by how this city scream yourname”

death by a thousand cuts: eh? it’s nice and soft and sad-ish but. idk.not right now - since the album is still pretty fresh to me - but i’ll probablystart skipping this one eventually.

favelyrics: “you said it was a great love,one for the ages / but if the story’s over why am I still writing pages?”

bondon boy: i am so sorry for every londoner that had tolisten to this one. i could hear it being offensive as soon as she startedsaying those words. it sounds nice and fun but jesus christ taylor. it’s likesomeone from her label said “you gottamake it clear you’re fucking that joe dude or your album won’t sell” andtaylor immediately googled ‘british slang’ and wrote this song.

fave lyrics:“but something happened i heard himlaughing / i saw the dimples first and then i heard the accent” i’m asimple phannie. i hear the word dimples i think of dan

soon you’ll get better: bro. was not ready. you can hear thepain and fear in her voice. the chorus kind of reminds me of “never grow up”(aka my fave taylor swift song), etc. the sad, almost hopeless addition of “cause you have to” is so heartbreaking. it’sa personal and gorgeous yet sad song, and she goes back to her country roots for this one,so that’s nice. absolutely beautiful.

fave lyrics:hard to choose but “you like the nicernurses you make the best of a bad deal / i just pretend it isn’t real / i’llpaint the kitchen neon, i’ll brighten up the sky / i know i’ll never get itthere’s not a day that i won’t try” i hate, hate, the notion ofromanticizing a sad and scary situation like this one, and i think i understandthis as less of romanticizing and more of sympathizing with, cause i’ve alsobee in this situation with my family – but because it was just a few days agothat phil revealed his father’s battle with cancer, i couldn’t help but thinkof him too and how much he must have feared for his dad while still trying to keep it together for everyone around him.

false god: love the sax. i know i will fully love thissong at some point. i know it. i’m just not there yet. i like the parts when she has torush her words. i’ll get there with this one.

favelyrics: “they all warned us about timeslike this / they say the road gets hard and you get lost”

you need to calm down: fun, boppy, cute. i get what shewas going for and appreciate it. it’s a more carefree pop song and i’m okaywith it. not unskippable though.

fave lyrics:“and i ain’t tryna mess with your self expressionbut i’ve learned a lesson that stressing and obsessing bout somebody else is nofun”

afterglow: i don’t know yet. probably one i’ll skip. notbad, i don’t think there’s a song in this album that is necessarily Bad, butthis one is just not really memorable.

fave lyrics:don’t have one actually. soz

me!: definitely not a masterpiece BUT introduced usto this era which is probably her best pop era. i loved the absolute changefrom the reputation era, bringing back colors, bringing back fun, introducing amore politically active taylor swift, etc. i also like the idea that she knowsthat this is not her best work but she knew that if she was gonna make a catchyradio friendly pop song, she’d make one that’s about self love, etc.

fave lyrics: i’m a simple girl, “me e e e, o o o oh”

it’s nice to have a friend: this folk-y vibe? works? is thisfolk? sorry if im being dumb. but it has a lonely vibe, it’s kind of really sadin a way, but it’s lovely at the same time.

fave lyrics:“something gave you the nerve / to touchmy hand”

daylight: a song about letting go and forgiving herselffor her past mistakes and learning to focus on the good parts of her life, morespecifically her lover. like new year’s eve was to reputation, this is a nicesong to wrap this album.

fave lyrics:“you are what you love”

#oof #done #lola.ask #Anonymous

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tessatechaitea · 5 years

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Teen Titans Spotlight #3: Jericho

I've always loved Jericho's look. Nothing says "I'm a superhero!" less.

Look at that outfit! No wonder he spends the majority of his time inside other people's minds.

This issue is called "The Past is Prologue" and I just went into a profundity coma. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. How much prologue can a teenager have built up? I suppose it depends on your life experiences. Joseph had his throat slit by one of Jackal's henchmen, developed the ability to enter a person's mind and take control of their body, had a father who was the greatest mercenary in the world, and was able to grow fantastic facial hair at an early age. He's probably got some good prologue. But take another teenager like Rebecca Black and you realize sometimes there's not a whole lot of prologue. I mean, I guess she learned the order the days come in the week, how to eat cereal, and the ability to count seats in a vehicle. Not that I'm taking a shot at Rebecca Black! I was probably one of the only people to defend her when it was all the Internet rage to shit on her song "Friday." Sure, the lyrics were inane. But she was young and the song was as catchy as any hit pop song. Sometimes people are just generally assholes. I guess they needed to prove their intelligence by pointing out how they couldn't be fooled into enjoying a song with insipid lyrics. Fuck them. Rebecca Black, I'm a fan! The story begins in Paris so obviously the scene opens on the Eiffel Tower. Sure, the characters could have been at the Louvre or the Moulin Rouge or Notre Dame or the Arc de Triomphe but how many readers would instantly realize the characters were in Paris then? Aside from the narration box saying, "You can actually feel Paris come alive at night." Which is kind of a gross sentence when the scene opens up on a huge phallus straining to fuck the sky. Now, now! Don't be hurt that I assumed most people wouldn't recognize Paris by famous Paris landmarks other than the Eiffel Tower. I didn't mean you, of course! I meant all of the other readers! Try to remember that the main audience for this story are comic book readers and Americans. If the third circle of that Venn Diagram is "ignorant," it would subsume the other two circles. Ha ha! Just kidding, comic book readers! Just yanking your Yankee chain, Americans! Ha ha! Good times.

This is Curt and Penny. They're, I don't know, international spies or something.

Penny's help comes in the form of Adeline Kane and her investigative agency, Searchers, Inc. But there's a dramatic love problem! Joseph (Jericho, for you know-nothings!) was in love with Penny two years ago but it ended when he thought she died. Marv Wolfman does remember Jericho is a teenager, right? I guess that's why, two years later, he's still pining over his dead girlfriend. Love seems more love-y when you're young! But sheesh, Joey! Get over it! It's not like you lost your cat!

Listening? He's been signing "Let me fuck your titties" for the last twenty minutes!

Penny likes Jericho because he doesn't speak, he apparently listens, he paints, he writes poetry, and he can grow underwear soaking facial hair. And since he can't say anything, they just go out to the garden and fuck. Meanwhile, Penny's dad pays Adeline to fake his and his daughter's death. Adeline sees her son fucking Penny and says, "Yeah, whatever. Cash is awesome." But that's all prologue! In the logue, Penny's father is amassing an army for some shenanigans he's getting up to. But instead of hiring a bunch of warriors, he's making the warriors all fight to the death so that he's only left with a few warriors who are the best warriors from dozens! Or the luckiest, maybe. I don't know. I'd rather have a bigger army with a bunch of guys ready to fight to the death than a small army of guys cocky from fighting other guys to the death and somehow surviving. But then, I've never considered myself arch-villain material. Penny's father tells her to get to Searchers, Inc. to help find Curt. He's busy watching dozens of perfectly good soldiers die for his cause. She has a bit of unbelievable trouble on the way to the airport that I don't want to talk about. Seriously, you don't want me to talk about it either. Especially since I know nothing about how cars work so even though I feel like a car wouldn't suddenly go out of control if a person in the back seat managed to aim at and hit the gas line while shooting through the floor, I can't be sure and I'm not willing to watch any YouTube videos on the subject. Plus after she shoots the gas line, the driver says, "You're crazy! We'll both die!" as the car heads for a cliff which he drives right over. Because somehow shooting the gas line means the brakes and the steering suddenly don't work? I suppose it's possible since, as I said, I know nothing about cars! She shoots the lock on the back door to get out but the driver can't open his door because she shot the gas line. Man, I'm glad I know how to completely disable a car and trap the driver in it now! I'd better memorize where this deus ex gaslina sits in every make and model of car! I'll never be kidnapped again! Back in the prologue, Penny learns that Joey can enter people's minds and take over their body's actions. But the person he controls can still speak because, lacking vocal cords or something, he can't control their vocal cords. Penny gets super excited thinking about all of the sex stuff they could do with that power. Or, I guess, the one sex thing where he takes over her body and jerks her off while she moans loudly.

Does this sign mean "Mom, I fucked my girlfriend's tits!"?

On the night Adeline intends to fake Penny and her father's deaths, Joey proposes to Penelope. Adeline sees him propose and thinks, "Yeah, whatever. Cash is awesome." Adeline blows up Penny's father's boat with Penny and her father on it just as she and Joey leave. I guess that was to really twist the knife in the son she apparently hates. Or at least doesn't love as much as money? So that's the prologue and the past! Moving on to the logue and the present, Joey still mourns for his lover. But he's going to be in for a big surprise when she shows up alive at the door to Searchers, Inc. Especially since she didn't think he died and has been mourning him for two years. No, she knew he was alive and she was off getting finger-banged by Curt.

Penny is probably thinking, "Curt who?!"

Teen Titans Spotlight #3: Jericho Rating: C. Oh, the teenage sex drama! The longing! The pining! The fake deaths! The strange fucking way gas lines work! This is more like the Marv Wolfman I'm used to!

#Jericho #Teen Titans #Teen Titans Spotlight #DC Comics #Joey Wilson #Joseph Wilson #DC

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xmystophalesx · 3 years

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Best Metal Releases Weekend of December 24, 2021

The penultimate weekend of the year and the expected slowdown has finally come. Not drastically so, but it was about half of what it was last week. To be honest, it felt kind of good as I was also trying to finalize my top 30 of 2021 list. I realize there is still one more week but I had to cut it off somewhere. Even though there were less releases this week, there was still plenty of quality as well as a surprising pick of the week.

The weekend started out a bit slow as I went through about a dozen albums that were varying in terms of quality. Some very good and some simply horrid but nothing that I would call a standout. Then I came upon Ira Inferos and Incordia back to back. Ira Inferos is Melodic Black Metal but with a harder edge that just sounds mean. Incordia is out and out Melodic Death Metal that is very riff oriented with some really nice variations on drum beats. If you are a fan of drums, this one will impress you. From there I was blown away by a band called Black Reaper. Absolutely fantastic mix of Death and Thrash Metal. Think prime era The Haunted but heavier. This lost pick of the week by the slightest of margins to (shockingly) a Heavy Power Metal album. The streak of Black and Death Metal was broken by Thunder and Lightning. A band out of Germany that have been around quite a while but is completely new to me. Catchy Heavy Power Metal with vocals that sound a lot like Peavy Wagner from the band Rage. Mix Rage with the band Paragon and you will have what this bands sound is. I came back to this quite a bit over the weekend and any band that can steer my focus away from all the great black and Death Metal that has come out lately is obviously doing something of not. Catchy and instantly memorable.

Another weekend of great metal music! And as always…

BANG THY HEAD!!!

Necrolord-World Mausoleum(Death)*

Necrobastard-Massgrave(Death/Thrash)

Harvest the Murdered-Cursing the End of an Age(Death)

Bullet-Proof-CellXIX(Thrash)

Autumn’s Child-Zenith(Hard Rock/AOR)

Atomic Opera-Time Warp(Heavy Power) (missed this in September)

Ira Inferos-Suppression(Melodic Black)**

Incordia-The Vastness of Njordr(Melodic Death Metal)**

Thee Final Chapter-So Let it be Done(Heavy)

Evangelion-Revelations or the Spawn of Greed and War(Melodic Black/Death/Doom)

Blind Wisdom-Long Before the Last Dragons(Heavy Power Metal)*

Sukkhu-Labyrinths(Black)

Just Before Dawn-In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow(Death)

Sum Lights-Emanating Fulguration(Black/Death)

Death For Life-Death For Life(Melodic Death)

Warring Monk-Se(Progressive Death)

Hellgarden-Rise of the Beast(Black)*

Olbak-Menneskehetens Dod(Black)*

Drowndfall-Forsaken(Black)

Thunder and Lightning-F.E.A.R(Heavy Power)**

Frost(Hungary)-Winterblood(melodic Black)*

Black Reaper-Under the Dying Sun(Death/Thrash)**

Warkill-Total Extinction(Thrash/Death)

All worthy of a listen if you like the genre

*= standout in that genre

**=best of the week regardless of genre

This weeks best overall pick goes to Thunder and Lightning - F.E.A.R. with a solid 4.5 sleepy bulldog tongues out of 5.

#black metal #death metal #classic rock #folk #hard rock #hardcore music #metal #music #punk #rock

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v-irgogh · 6 years

Note

what's your opinion on the one direction solo careers? c:

i like to pretend liam doesn’t exist anymore . strip that down was a lil bit catchy but god it’s so cringey to listen to and don’t even get me startedddd on his new attitude lmfao

i’ve heard like two of louis’ songs n i like them but they’re not particularly ...... memorable . i hope he comes into his own soon i like his voice it’s cute !

zayn is . idk . i expected more from him . i don’t rly listen to his stuff, i only know a couple songs. i like the one he did w. sia tho !!!!

anyone who knows me in the slightest knows i would die for harry i love him he’s an angel in every sense of the word

i love niall too !!!!!!! hearing his songs always puts a smile on his face and if i have my music on shuffle and too much to ask comes on i always end up listening to it like 5 times in a row before i move on because i love it so much . also he supported repeal so ! he’s a gud boi

#what a random question but i had fun answering !#answered #anonymous #Anonymous

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medicalschoolstatements · 4 years

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How to Write an Essay - Basic Steps on How to Write a Good Essay

If writing an essay seems a bit intimidating, just consider it as an opportunity to hone your writing chops. Nobody expects your first essay to ever be exemplary. Not even your fiftieth(50th!)

Just remember that essay writing isn't rocket science. And there's absolutely nothing preventing you from learning how to write an essay very easily. All you need is some determination and the right guidance.

Before you even begin writing your essay, you should take a moment to structure your idea. Whether it's a statement, a paragraph, or an essay question, the order in which you place your ideas is going to make a big difference in how well your essay turns out. The statement that captures the reader's attention and compels them to read on will usually be your thesis statement. A thesis statement is your statement that summarizes your topic.

Once you've written your thesis statement, the next thing to do is to write five original sentences on each of your five main paragraphs. These five sentences should discuss what you learned during your study period, what you're attempting to achieve, and what you plan to accomplish. You should also briefly summarize what you've learned from your previous reading. These are the most important things to remember when writing an essay.

Now that you know what you're going to address in each of your five paragraphs, it's time to get started writing! To get started, think about the title of your essay. This is the most crucial part of your first draft. When writing an essay it is extremely important to have a catchy, memorable name for your essay. This can help you avoid any future problems when your outline begins to get stuck.

Once you have a title and a catchy introduction, it's important to outline your essay. First, think about how many people would need to read your essay. If the number is small, you can skip over some of the parts of the outline. An outline for a composition class is different than one for a research paper, since a composition class will deal with presenting a piece of work to a class. An outline for writing an essay is more general in nature, as it will cover all the main points and provide ample space for you to make your own examples, proof read your work and edit your work as necessary. click site

After your outline is complete, write your introduction. Your introduction will generally be the most important part of your essay, as it will decide whether or not your readers will read the rest of the piece. Since most students won't have much background on you, an intro is extremely helpful in introducing you and your work to your readers. For a thesis essay, your introduction should be lengthy enough to allow your thesis statement to flow uninterrupted throughout the entire essay. If your intro is too short, your reader may lose interest or feel overwhelmed by your writing.

Finally, write your conclusion. Your conclusion will summarize what you have written in the introduction and will reiterate what you have previously stated in the introduction. A conclusion is not as important as the introduction, so don't include it until you are almost finished writing your essay. That way, you can spend the extra time on the more important aspects of your writing.

Another useful tip when writing complex sentences is to use simple English. Don't use complicated sentences that require many conjunctions, prepositions, or other grammar complications. It's tempting to go over the top with your writing, especially if you're worried about being correct. However, you will not be able to finish your essay if you use words that are too advanced for your audience. Write simple, clear, and concise sentences that are easy for your audience to understand. If your essay requires a lot of these types of techniques to write, then your essay may not be as good as it could be.

The final step in writing an essay is to make sure you proofread your essay before submitting it. Reading past your work will help you to ensure that it is perfect before it is even printed. Every mistake you find while writing can be instantly brought to your audience's attention. As a student, you know how important it is to earn a passing grade. If there's even the slightest chance that your essay could have spelling errors, grammatical errors, and other flaws, don't waste any more time or money with it.

In summary, make sure to organize your thoughts, organize your sentences, and proofread your essay before submitting it. This is your best chance at success! When you do this, you'll not only enjoy writing an essay, but you'll also enjoy writing anything. A first draft is only half the battle; a perfect first draft is the best fight of all!

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sophcaro · 7 years

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Destiny | WMatsui - Chapter 30

Six months later.

Churi stepped out of the elevator when the doors opened at the second floor, scanning the empty corridor in front of her. Pausing for a moment’s reflection, her feet moved forward when she was finally able to recall where the apartment in question was situated. This Saturday afternoon of September, she had been invited to Jurina’s place; the younger girl had asked for her help and advice with the preparations of a major event coming up in two short weeks. It was only the second time Churi was visiting Jurina’s new place, and she figured it would probably take her a few more visits to know the direction by heart.

A few months ago, Jurina had made the decision to gain more independence and to leave the family nest, leading her to move into her own apartment at the end of August. Even though Jurina had chosen not to live with her mother anymore, it certainly didn’t prevent her from visiting her every single week, the separation not having in the slightest severed the strong bond uniting them.

As Churi arrived in front of the apartment 23, a smile ruffled her mouth when she noticed the unfamiliar doormat at her feet, her eyes lingering on the large ‘Aloha’ inscription welcoming the visitors. Reaching for her backpack, she retrieved her Nikkon camera from inside to take a shot. No, she had no intention of using that picture for her monthly photos exhibition in Nagoya, but this simple action was like second nature to her. Each time she caught sight of an element in her environment that piqued her interest, it was stronger than her: she had to immortalize the moment.

Her camera was like a precious and faithful companion, and she never failed to take it with her everywhere she went.

Putting her camera away once she deemed herself satisfied with the result, Churi diverted her attention towards the door in front of her, not failing to perceive the sound of music coming from inside the apartment. It might not be that loud, Churi instantly recognized the energetic and cheerful song: SKE’s 2020 summer single was currently playing on Jurina’s stereo.

Yes, it was indeed a catchy song, Churi conceded. A melody hard not to sing along to once it got inside your head. And what about the fact that the group’s last single had sold incredibly well, even better than the two previous ones? Management’s new strategy was paying off, fans – after a period of necessary adjustment - getting accustomed to the rotating position of SKE’s center and WCenter.

Churi raised her arm to ring at the doorbell, and she didn’t have to wait long before hearing footsteps approaching, then seeing the door opening.

“Hi, you arrived right on time.” Jurina, who had appeared on the doorstep, broke into an open, friendly smile. “I was working on the tracklist.”

A flash of humor crossed Churi’s face. “How are you managing? Not too difficult to select only 35 songs?”

“Why do you think I called you? It’s a complete nightmare.” Jurina’s smile vanished and she sighed heavily in defeat. “I chose about 50 songs, and I can’t make up my mind on the ones to remove.”

Churi nodded and chuckled at her. “Yes, I’ve been there too, I know it can be a challenging task. Don’t worry, I’ll help you as much as I can.”

Churi followed Jurina inside the apartment, casually letting her gaze wander around the living room while removing her coat and shoes in the entrance. Her attention was swiftly caught by the pile of papers spread over the table, undeniable proof that Jurina had been hard at work before her arrival. It had already been six months since Jurina had announced her desire to leave SKE, and it was now only a matter of weeks until her long-awaited graduation concert. To be honest, Churi still sometimes had a difficult time adjusting to the idea that Jurina would officially have left the idol group by the end of September.

An opinion shared not only by the remaining members of the group, but also a large portion of the fans. The previous singles might have sold very well, it was still hard for people to wrap their head around the possibility that SKE was soon going to say goodbye to its second figurehead.

“I was thinking we could center Kiss Datte Hidarikiki together.” Jurina, who had taken a seat back at the table, turned in her direction. “What do you think?”

Churi approached and pulled a chair next to her. “Depends.” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Will you try to steal a kiss during the final spin?”

“Why would I do that? I don’t kiss other members anymore.” Jurina’s face became a visage of juvenile innocence. “Well…” For a shrinking moment she paused, until a grin overtook her features. “Except on the cheek from time to time, when the temptation is too hard to resist. But you can’t blame me for that.”

Churi bit off a laugh.

Jurina might be more mature than ever at the age of twenty-three, she hadn’t lost for all that her flirty side. These last years, it was indeed less frequent to witness such aspect of her personality, yet Churi always found herself greatly entertained when it happened to resurface.

“Alright.” Churi nodded in agreement. “I’ll do this song with you.”

Jurina’s eyes brightened with pleasure and she reached for her pen, scribbling a note on the sheet of paper laying in front of her. “Great, I’ll add that.”

“Do you want us to go through the rest of the tracklist?” Churi took a peek at the sheet - curious to discover which songs Jurina had chosen for the occasion – wincing when she saw that it went indeed far beyond the total number of songs required. “I know it’s not going to be easy, but we really need to reduce it to 35.”

“Yes, but before that…” Jurina’s face became drawn and tense. “There’s something else I wanted to tell you.”

Churi’s brow furrowed at her friend’s strange change of mood. “Yes? What is it?”

Jurina shifted in her seat in unease, avoiding Churi’s questioning gaze. “I was thinking inviting Rena to my graduation concert.”

Churi’s mouth dropped open. “What…” She stared back at her in incredulity. “What did you say?”

“I think Rena should be here.” Jurina repeated slowly, with slightly more assurance. “Singing on stage with us.”

“Why would you…” Churi stopped, confused. “When was the last time you talked to her? Three years ago?”

“I know…” The conflict of emotions followed one another across Jurina’s face. “But I believe it’s the right thing to do for SKE. Rena was there from the start, and my WCenter during eight, long years. I simply cannot ignore those facts. Everyone, especially the fans, will expect her to make an appearance. You know that they will.”

Churi couldn’t deny that, when it came to that last aspect and the fans’ expectations, Jurina might unfortunately be a little right.

In hindsight, it made sense that Jurina would want to include her former WCenter to the list of guests. Until the very last minute of her idol career, Jurina was thinking about the group and attempting to please the fans. Churi shouldn’t be astonished by Jurina’s endless dedication. In twelve years, the younger girl had constantly put SKE above all, even sometimes at the expense of her own health. And right now, by considering asking Rena to participate, she was letting her professionalism take the upper hand and guide her decisions.

But at what cost?

Given Rena and Jurina’s past, could the latter really afford to leave her personal feelings aside? After her friend’s last painful encounter with Rena at the hospital three years ago, Churi clearly wasn’t fond of the idea of such a reunion. Not when there was a non-negligible risk that Rena’s presence could cause bad memories to resurface, and reopen old wounds.

For all those precise reasons, Churi felt that she ought to share with her friend the profound doubt invading her. “I understand what you’re trying to achieve, I really do. But are you sure that it’s really what you want? It’s your graduation concert: I wouldn’t want anything or anyone to spoil such a memorable moment of your life.”

For the first time since their conversation had drifted to the older girl who shared the same surname, Jurina turned at last to look at her directly.

“Trust me, I’ve been thinking about it at length. These last days, no matter how many times I mulled it over in my head again and again, I simply cannot imagine her not being here on that day. The way our relationship ended…” Jurina’s voice sank to a whisper, until determination flashed in her eyes. “I shouldn’t let it cloud my judgment when it comes to SKE. Rena deserves to be on that stage, as much as everyone else.”

“I can tell you already made up your mind...” Churi couldn’t ignore how resolute her friend sounded but remained deeply uncertain about the consequences of such a decision. Yet she refused to be too insistent. If her friend truly believed that it was for the best, then what other choice did she have? After all, it was Jurina’s big day. Churi might not approve of her decision, she owed it to her to respect her wishes.

“But I’m not sure that she’ll accept.” Jurina said doubtfully. “She might have other plans, or even refuse to come. During all these years, she never stood on stage with the 48group. She put her idol past behind: there’s a chance she won’t want her image to be associated with SKE again.”

Churi nodded almost imperceptibly. “When…” She kept her voice carefully neutral when she asked. “When are you going to contact her?”

“I was going to send her a text today.” Jurina replied, and began playing nervously with her phone.

“Why don’t you do it later on?” Churi suggested tentatively, sensing Jurina would become far too distracted by her phone - in the waiting expectative of Rena’s reply - if she let her proceed and send that message immediately. “We really need to work on that tracklist.” She insisted gently when she read Jurina’s hesitation. When it didn’t seem to work, Churi changed tactic, and continued on a lighter, small teasing tone. “I know that Yuasa cannot refuse you much, but let’s be realistic: he’ll never let you sing 50 songs.”

Jurina’s eyes grew openly amused and, putting her phone aside, transferred her gaze to her. “You think? Even if I insist? A lot?”

Churi’s mouth twitched with amusement. “I’m afraid not.”

Rena went through her dresser attentively, wondering what kind of clothes she was going to put on for tonight’s dinner. Thankfully, she didn’t need to wear anything especially classy as it was a simple meal between friends, but she was conscious that she absolutely ought to choose warm clothes. A few days ago, the temperature had abruptly dropped. It wouldn’t be Autumn until another month, yet you could almost be deceived by the weather.

Cold, windy, and – if you were unlucky - maybe even a little rain. That’s what the weather forecast had promised for this Saturday evening of early September.

As Rena’s fingers halted at last on a beige, cotton sweater, her attention was next caught by a red scarf laying on an upper shelf. It had been a while since she hadn’t worn that piece of clothing in particular, but the view instantly brought back fond memories of that day in Shibuya with Airi. Her thoughts drifted to the girl currently waiting for her in the living room, a smile plastering her features as she made up her mind, and retrieved decidedly both the sweater and the scarf from her dresser.

A few minutes later, once she was fully dressed and prepared, Rena made her way out of the bedroom. She didn’t have to search long to spot her best friend seated on the sofa, silently reading a manga. Approaching, Rena inclined her head slightly to discover what kind of story could be monopolizing Airi’s attention. “The volume 11 of Black Lagoon?” Her voice pitched up in surprise. “Wait. Is that a new volume?! When did he publish the previous one? Five years ago?”

“Six, to be exact and yes, you really need to be patient when it comes to Rei Hiroe’s works.” Airi joked, raising her nose from the page she was reading. “This new volume got released yesterday. You know me, I simply couldn’t let it pass. The wait might be long, it’s always worth it.”

“The number of years doesn’t matter as long as the quality is still here, right?” Rena offered amusingly, taking a seat by her side.

“Exactly,” Airi answered with an assured nod, slowly beginning to close her manga when she noticed the other girl taking a peek at the clock on the wall. “Is it time to leave?”

“Not quite yet.” Rena shook her head softly. “We’re supposed to meet Yosuke and Tsuzumi at the restaurant at 7 PM. We still have half an hour.”

“It will be the first time we’re going out the four of us, no? Where did he meet his girlfriend?” Airi asked in curiosity. “I don’t think you ever told me.”

“Tsuzumi? He met her four months ago. She was an actress in his latest drama.” Rena caught Airi’s manga between her fingers, and flicked through the first pages in interest. “From what he told me, they quickly got along well, and started dating not long after the end of the shooting. I actually met her once: they make a really nice couple.”

“We never heard anything about their relationship in the magazines.” Airi frowned a little, bewildered. “How did they manage to avoid the paparazzi?”

“They are both public figures, and their agencies prefer if they keep a low profile. At least, for a little while.” Rena explained. “So, they are being extremely cautious when they go out in public.”

“Really?” Airi let out a soft sigh. “After all these years, I still don’t completely understand this business. They are not doing anything wrong: they shouldn’t have to hide.”

“This is how the entertainment industry works.” Rena smiled faintly and closed the manga, lowering it on her lap. “Agents don’t really appreciate it when their clients’ private life makes the headlines. They are afraid that it could affect their clients’ reputation or career in some way.”

“I know…” Airi conceded, before looking over her friend’s shoulder, and noticing the black coat and red scarf laying on the sofa’s armrest. The familiar view instantly brought a smile to her lips. “I remember that day when we went to Shibuya. It was such a headache to find a clever way to distract your attention, enough to buy that scarf without you noticing.”

“And you left me all alone in that café.” Rena added in fake indignation. “How could you abandon me in such a way?”

Airi grimaced in good humor. “Sorry, but it was for the good cause. Besides, if I recall correctly, you had a good cook book to keep you company.”

“Did I?” Rena’s eyes widened with false innocence. “Are you sure? I suddenly have a failing memory.”

Their casual, light banter got interrupted by the sound of Rena’s phone beeping and – after exchanging a knowing smile with Airi - Rena diverted her attention to the device placed in front of her on the coffee table. Unlocking her code, Rena saw that she had received a new message, and she pressed her index to the screen to open it. When she discovered the sender’s identity, her face collapsed in an expression of utter disbelief.

Hi Rena,

I’m contacting you because my graduation concert is in two weeks. If you’re available, I would really like you to come and sing on stage with us. You would be completely free to choose the number and the songs you want to perform. I’m conscious that you’ve been staying away from idol activities, but I think it would make the fans and the members very happy to have you on stage.

If you have other plans or you prefer not to come, then please don’t worry too much about it. Whatever your decision will be, I’ll respect it.

Jurina.

Rena’s breath caught in her throat, her heart beginning to beat faster as she processed with difficulty the words written. Of course, she was aware that Jurina’s graduation concert was in two weeks: there was no way she could have ignored the date of this important event. However, for not one instant, she would have anticipated to receive such invitation. The last time she had been in contact with Jurina was during last year’s SSK, when she had sent the younger girl her congratulations and had been greatly surprised – and equally quite moved - to receive in return Jurina’s kind words for her award.

Despite the cordial mutual exchange of texts, the fact that Jurina would ask her – not simply to be present and assist to her concert, but also to sing on stage - went beyond her comprehension. This concert was not any anecdotic event: it was the day Jurina would officially be closing a significant page of her life. This concert would stay imprinted in everyone’s heads, and this for many more years to come. Wouldn’t Jurina want for such occasion to be surrounded by the people who meant the most to her?

Rena jumped a little when she felt a hand gently closing over her right shoulder and, tilting her head in Airi’s direction, faced her worried look. “What is it? Did something happen?”

“It’s...” Rena struggled to keep her voice steady. “It’s Jurina. She wants me to sing during her graduation concert.”

“She does?” Airi stared at her speechlessly for some long, pregnant seconds. “What are you going to do? Are you going to accept?”

“I…” Rena paused a moment, trying to maneuver her thoughts. “I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I don’t understand why she’s inviting me. I don’t think it’s my place to be on that stage with her.”

“She visibly believes the contrary. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sent you that text.” Airi disapproved gently. “Why don’t you take time to think about it?” Airi reached forward and laid a tentative hand upon Rena’s. “You don’t need to reply immediately.”

Rena’s attention returned to the message, feeling her own fingers slightly shaking around the phone. Are you really sure that this is what you want, Jurina? Rena couldn’t help but ask herself, finding herself terribly indecisive. The last time they met, Jurina had clearly stated that she didn’t want to see her again. And Rena had scrupulously respected Jurina’s wishes during those last three years, carefully keeping her distance with the younger girl. If there was one thing Rena absolutely didn’t wish, it was to make Jurina uncomfortable, or inadvertently cause her pain again.

Rena was indisputably deeply moved that Jurina was inviting her to her graduation concert, and she couldn’t ignore either the small voice inside her head reminding her of the great opportunity it represented: she would be able to see Jurina again. However, Rena’s cautious side - worried about the possible, negative repercussions - wondered if Jurina was truly conscious of what she was asking.

September 19, 2020.

1 PM.

Jurina’s feet paused at the front of the main stage of the Nagoya Dome and she drew a long breath, briefly glancing up to the geodesic dome closed over her head, before sweeping the baseball stadium and its 40 000 empty seats. Behind her back, she could hear the technical staff finishing making last-minute adjustments, but most of the work had thankfully already been done by now.

All morning, and from the very minute Jurina had arrived at the venue, she had checked even down to the last detail that everything was being well prepared accordingly to her wishes. Sets. Lights. Pyrotechnic effects. Music. Sound check. There was not one aspect that the 23-year-old girl had not meticulously monitored, her perfectionist side refusing categorically to overlook even the smallest problem.

This upcoming event – that would undoubtedly mark the history of SKE - was simply too important to afford the slightest mistake.

In solely two hours, the first spectators would be arriving and crossing the gates to assist at her graduation concert. As was to be expected, the event had sold out months in advance, which meant the baseball stadium would soon be packed with 40 000 enthusiastic fans. No matter the experience Jurina had acquired through the years, it was impossible not to feel slightly nervous about it. It wasn’t only because she was about to perform in front of such a huge crowd: this Saturday, the pressure was higher than ever.

Today, Jurina had a clear objective in mind: and that was to offer the fans one of the best and memorable shows they had ever seen. She wanted her graduation concert to remain imprinted in the dazzled memories of every spectator.

At the sound of her alarm watch beeping, Jurina looked down to her wrist, grasping by the letters flashing on the watch dial that it was time to make her way towards her next destination. There were still some new costumes that she needed to try on, and a few songs that she wished to rehearse afterwards. Turning on her heels, Jurina crossed the main stage and disappeared backstage, going over the concert’s tracklist in her head as she walked through the corridor leading towards the dressing room.

As Jurina was approaching her objective, the sound of excited feminine voices distracted her from her thoughts and she looked up, noticing in the distance a gathering of SKE members in the corridor. Jurina slowed down her steps despite herself, wondering in curiosity what could be the possible reason behind such a strange agitation. The more she progressed in the corridor, the more Jurina could guess that someone had to be monopolizing the other girls’ attention, but the crowd was too dense and blocking her view.

When Jurina was finally close enough to discover which person in particular was standing in the middle of the circle formed by the other girls, her feet came to a final halt.

Jurina widened her eyes in surprise.

A familiar twenty-nine-year-old girl with long brown hair was chatting with the other members, her mouth curved into a graceful smile as she replied politely to the multiple questions she was being asked. Jurina tried desperately to deny the pulsing knot that had formed in her stomach and the sound of her heart thumping nervously inside her chest, but it was a lost cause.

Two weeks ago, after receiving the positive reply, Jurina strongly believed to have well mentally prepared herself for this reunion. However, considering the current sensations coursing her body, Jurina came to a sudden realization that she had unfortunately greatly underestimated her emotional capacity to stay utterly calm and in control of her emotions next time she would cross path with Rena.

Jurina didn’t know which precise girl of the group noted her presence first. Soon enough, all pairs of eyes turned in her direction, silence falling around them as the conversation came to an abrupt halt. When Rena’s eyes finally met hers, her smile vanished for an instant - wiped away by astonishment - until the older girl quickly composed herself, and pleasure softened slightly her features.

#Destiny #wmatsui #matsui jurina #matsui rena #wmatsui fanfic #takayanagi akane #furukawa airi #SKE48 #AKB48 #Partners sequel #chapter 30 #heartbeat trilogy

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