#its still my least favourite title track | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hinamie · 1 year

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oh my god ok so i know im late I didn't talk about it because it happened during one of my Offline Eras but . but listen ok lisn the new former vandal album sent me THROUgh the FUCKINNG ROOF to be fair i knew it would like i joked about going upstairs to listen to it and cry when it dropped but i didn't think that every fucking song would hit me so hard in the kokoro it made me wail because I too have immense religious guilt ANYWAY im gonna rant incoherently and at length now hope u all missed me

ok first of all gotta shout out the fuckin album title i knew it was gonna be devastating when I saw it . fuckin. divine interference????? music for god's playthings indeed i eat that shit up i was like yoooooo hes also got a bone to pick with jesus go off bestie <333

so former vandal are artists visionaries kings so ofc tracklist is all mythology n religion-inspired (lazarus/goliath/ouroboros etc) and i think its so cool that theyre all in caps until u get to the end and the final song is denial and it's in lowercase and maybe its simple but i was like ART. ARTTTTTT. and it made me go back and look at the tracklist of their previous album and I realized that the whole thing was about vices and unhealthy coping with an overwhelming and forsaken existence but then the final song was Get Right (still my go-to comfort song to this day tbh tbh tbh) and it's like an acknowledgement that ok maybe none of this is the answer and something has to change anyway wrong album oops back 2 divine interference

i made a point of listening to the songs that hadnt been released as singles first so the first song i listened to was Lazarus and tbh probably my fav song on the album maybe tied with parables and maaaaybe even icarian. BUT LAZARUS SLAPS SOS SOSOOSO HARD god the theme of not knowing how to leave something behind even when it's bad for you,,, both criticizing but also mirroring the actual story of lazarus in the lyrics being like "wow kinda fucked up of god for resurrecting u without ur consent" but also acknowledging that he himself is guilty of holding onto the things that kill him.,,, GOD ITS SO FUCKING G GOOD I FDFGSADFGDG

salt also !!! BANGER not quite up there with the likes of lazarus but it gets bonus points because a. i lov the idea of starting to recognize that you're coming into yourself n an identity apart from your vices n traumas and b. for having two of the most RAW lines in the entire album imo which is reaaallly saying something: "now that everything's bright I guess I'm fine/but there's an art in the dark that took years to refine" and "the spark of divine intervention/that I'm still terrified I've left behind" (ALBUM TITLE DROP ALBUM TITLE DROP) god these two just dont miss and i love it but i am far too neurodivergent to contain myself they need to give me a break pls i am v i b r a t i n g

ok gonna move into the Chill(tm) tracks I think with goliath as well as shame/rotten I vibe more with the lyrics than the actual songs because i prefer my angsty alt pop to be Upbeat thank u very much but can i just say. the lyrics of these two songs ESPECIALLY SHAME/ROTTEN LIKE ok first of all i love the tonal shift halfway through that manages not to make them feel like completely different songs it's just jarring enough like there's been an acceptance of sorts,, like omg same i too am like 'god i feel like the scum of the earth might as well own it a bit',, "the fear of god/the need for blame" fuckin bullseye ow,, "I starve to feed the parts of me/far from who i oughta be/tell me are you proud of me yet?" FUCKIN BULLSEYE OWW

I know i just said i prefer my angst upbeat but crocodile tears (very upbeat very rock wuaw) is probably my least favourite track if i had to pick but it does have a lyrical BANGER of an opening verse ("holding the hand that's holding me under" g o d) i think i just don't dig the overall melody too much and find the ending a bit repetitive fr my tastes,, who knows though it took a while and many re-listens for ouroboros to grow on me maybe this'll b a similar story ,, but then again ouroboros had the advantage of echoing mine own mental health and self-destructive behaviours shdgj

ok so i was crying from the beginning right but the songs that made me ugly bawl were growing pains (very similar vibes to get right but in a "i know that i'm healing" way rather than a "i need to heal" way) and denial,, but starting w growing pains,, my god idk What they did with the mic/vocals after the bridge but it felt like the music was being injected directly into my ears secret direct path 2 my bloodstream god I hadnt felt chills like that in such a long time and idk just the whole Mood of the song having been hurting for so long and only now starting to recognize the damage you've done but also appreciate the progress youv made,,, i have so so many emotions but DENIAL (its funny saying it in caps bc its the only track in lowercase getit getit) oh my god ths going straight on the list of Songs That Make Me Think About My Relationship With My Dad but also Songs That Make Me Emo About All The People I've Grown Apart From and i think its so powerful to frame a personal transition away from faith as growing apart from an old friend and missing them despite any hard feelings holy shit though holy shit . the first listen by this point i had already been emotionally devastated by the Whole Album so i was like ok surely ill get a break by the last song lol nope sorry i ended up crying so hard i think i gave myself a headache

I think I must have yelled about the songs that they released as singles when they dropped individually but it's been so long that i forget what i said but honestly parables and icarian are still just as good as when i heard them for the first time (when parables dropped i spilled my tea on my fucking notes bc i was vibing too hard),, I love parables' msg of accepting the lessons ur (traumatic) past taught u and how it shaped u as a person even if u recognize that that person is someone hurt and in need of healing and maybe that has to happen alone! and i know for a fact i've gushed about icarian (still one of the most gojocore songs Ever imho dont fight me on this) but now looking at it in the context of the rest of the album i love that it's first cause it really frames the whole icarus thing of having flown too close to the sun or to god and getting burned and that pain essentially being the catalyst for the entire Journey tht the rest of the album outlines (obsessed w the fact that the next song is jaded like fr having these two songs one after the other is literally "fucked around/found out" gsfhjsh)

but all that being said not to b dramatic but this album destroyed me it rearranged something deep in my soul and i don't know who i was before it but i probably wont ever be the same :) i literally love these two so much im so appreciative of them its so rare to feel so Seen by a piece of media so to have an entire album hit so incredibly close to home for me and slap while doing so????? i feel so lucky . this entire album feels like taking the first step to address years of hurt and self destruction it feels like losing a friend it feels like finding yourself and i just . i love it so much

#my long-awaited gushing about niche alt music that no one asked for but i have !!! so much to say!!!#clearly #hina.txt #fv posting

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randomvarious · 2 months

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1998 London Playlist

Saying cheerio to these London playlists for a little while with a new one for 1998 that I was finally able to get up on Spotify for this week. And the man you can thank for that is none other than an IDM artist by the name of Freeform, who put out his own compilation on streaming services a few months ago called A Compilation Compilation, which consists of a bunch of songs that he himself exclusively contributed to various artists compilations over the years. Evidently, this guy was really cooking in 1998 👨‍🍳, but every single song on this album is still sitting at under 1,000 plays, so give him a boost with the trio of tunes that I've picked out here, won't you?

In addition to those Freeform tracks, though, we also have some much more recognizable London electronic names on here as well, like Groove Armada, who deliver a cowbell-heavy deep house groover called "Captain Sensual" (115.1K plays); A Man Called Adam with their own bit of super chill and eventually jazzy deep house called "All My Favourite People (Stay With Me)" (110.4K plays); and Squarepusher and Aphex Twin sharing duties on the same drill n bass track called "Freeman Hardy & Willis Acid" that exclusively appeared on a Warp Records comp called We Are Reasonable People (1.077M plays).

So, overall, it's a little, eclectic mix of deep house, drill n bass, trip hop, IDM, downtempo, and drum n bass; at least so far.

Groove Armada - "Captain Sensual (remix)" A Man Called Adam - "All My Favourite People (Stay With Me) (Original Album Mix)" Squarepusher; AFX - "Freeman Hardy & Willis Acid" Red Snapper - "4 Dead Monks (Original Demo)" Freeform - "Mish" Freeform - "Thok" Freeform - "Flumps" Modaji - "Outboard Jeopardy (Club Mix)" Organic Audio - "Organic Monday" Get Fucked - "Momentum" James Hardway - "Sleep Tonight"

And with the YouTube playlist, I've got some more gems that can't be found on Spotify too, like another tune from Freeform that appeared on a V/A comp called Further East-Westercisms, but wasn't included on A Compilation Compilation for some reason. This one, titled "Gapedo," is only at a paltry 244 plays, but is just as nuttily breathtaking as his other tracks I've selected. And there's also a dope remix of dnb legend Krust's "Maintain" by techno maven Dave Angel, which, despite all its starpower, only has a little over 2.4K plays across a few uploads 😮; plus, a killer trip hop tune from a collective called Common Ground, whose Succession theme song-sounding "Dark Soul" only has over 1.9K plays across a couple uploads.

Krust - "Maintain (Dave Angel mix)" James Hardway - "Back East" Freeform - "Gapedo" Friends, Lovers & Family - "20 Camels" Tongue - "Culture Consumers" Common Ground - "Dark Soul"

And this playlist is also on YouTube Music.

So, with this debut of the Spotify playlist, we have 11 songs that clock in at 70 minutes, but over on YouTube, we've got 17 songs that clock in at 109 minutes. So if you want some super dope, not easily accessible, 1998 London electronic underground fire, give that YouTube one a whirl.

And here's some more London playlists by year too:

1994: YouTube / YouTube Music 1995: YouTube / YouTube Music 1996: Spotify / YouTube / YouTube Music 1997: Spotify / YouTube / YouTube Music 1999: YouTube / YouTube Music

Next week begins a two-week soiree to France for a couple genre playlists. See you there!

Enjoy!

More to come, eventually. Stay tuned!

Like what you hear? Follow me on Spotify and YouTube for more cool playlists and uploads!

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delta-gambit-au · 2 months

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A lil of game-devving (first Dev-Log?)

Today some development while we wait for interviews and other confirmations to the job hunting of Friday -- or at least something I can still do with the mouse. (all of the pictures used above on the block-out are just mere placeholders to fill up the empty gaps)

It's GUI prototyping time!

I've seen before in the past that many visual-novels and even some RPGs allow the player to fast forward dialogues and skip back and forth across them if they were already seen. I had a mind of adding these buttons too but in a less default position, to balance a little the visuals of the GUI.

So, the idea is that the upper and bottom sections would show the zone where the current scene is playing, as some sort of decoration ribbon. Since I already planned the height and width of the main screen where the scene and dialog box will appear, there's a ton of empty space around that must be filled with something! I had an idea of making use of that widescreen space not only to hang the dialog buttons, but also to show a split portrait showing the status of the character from where we are having the POV of the scene.

For example, if we are in a scene from the POV of Tasque Manager, her portrait will appear on both sides. These are to show the mental status of the character, as the player takes decisions that could possibly upset the character or make them happier. The idea is to keep track of this as is the only visual cue (if the player isn't taking mental notes of what are they doing with the current character) to see if you are going through a good route or a bad route.

The mental status of the character will also open venues for other dialogues, just like in graphic adventures of old, you could explore questions for the lulz or just cut to the chase to go faster. It can also lock you from knowing more as other characters that you angered on purpose will refuse to elaborate or will reply with something else, or will see you too upset to let them speak up.

This can serve to further move towards a different path. I plan to add different outcomes to certain decisions depending of your behaviour, though upon release only one path will be available as I want to focus on the main plot-line and add the side paths with future updates for those avid to squeeze the lore of its last remaining juices.

In a sense I believe the paths could be categorized in Light, Neutral, Dark and Darker. Obviously the Darker paths would be the ones with the most downers, and might end abruptly or perhaps open a new unseen chapter, as corruption sets itself in the characters. As said, will only add those in the future if the game gets well received and we manage to stabilize our life enough to dedicate myself fully to the project. The default path will be always the Light one by the way.

And nothing else. Must not forget to add quick buttons to Save, Load and Quit To Title... Though adding them to an ESC menu could be redundant, I rather move these buttons tastefully to improve the looks of the general GUI that the players are going to stare at 95% of the time (that's why prototyping the Game's GUI is a very important part of the development). The other parts that should receive some attention would be the Gallery and the Chapter Selection... I was wondering if adding a list of quick jumps to all the scenes could be done, so you could replay your favourite parts again, or go there to pick a different set of dialogues. In a sense the main bones of the game are just that:

Title Screen

Options

Save/Load

Gallery

Chapter Select

Game

Credits/Disclaimer (absolutely skippable after reaching the end of a chapter)

Yeah, 7 bones. I don't see anything else to add. I believe the most fun part to make would be the Chapter Select. My idea for it is quite unusual and I haven't seen it done before. It could work.

I don't have anything else to show or to ponder publicly at the moment. Hope you enjoy to have a lil glimpse on the developing of the visual-novel as I make it from the scratch.

#[DG!Dev-Log]#game prototyping #making design choices based on use

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odanurr87 · 1 year

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Alchemy of Completed 2022 Kdramas - Part 1

Last year I watched a bunch of kdramas, too many for me to properly review at the rate I write about them. As a result, I'm gonna try something different and quickly review those dramas that released in 2022 that I watched, and maybe recommend a few alternatives here and there in those cases where the show didn't live up to the task. Considering it's been a while since I watched some of these dramas, I binged a couple of them again to better inform my commentary. If you're short on time, or just want to add kdramas to your ever-increasing watchlist, you'll find a ⭐ next to the titles I wholeheartedly recommend, and a 💀 next to those I feel should best be avoided, but you do you. If you still haven't watched some of these shows, this list will hopefully give you some idea of whether you'll enjoy watching them (or not).

A brief note on my rating system before we begin. I use bins for my 1-10 scale in the following way:

Anything between 5 and 6 is considered average

Shows between 7 and 8 are considered above average

Shows in the 9 to 10 range are the cream of the crop

Anything between 1 to 4 is considered below average, with the 1-2 range reserved for the worst offenders.

Thus, I have two possible scores for the average, above average, and cream of the crop categories, what I believe makes my life a little easier when rating shows. I have occasionally given half point ratings (e.g. 7.5) to certain shows when I feel they're halfway to a better grade, but that has been the exception rather than the rule.

So without further ado, welcome to my Alchemy of Completed 2022 Kdramas - Part 1!

A Business Proposal⭐

Episode count: 12

Where to watch: Netflix

Rating: 8/10

Verdict: "You know I'm good at a lot of different things, right?"

We start with one of my favourites and the best short romcom of 2022. Based on the manhwa of the same name by Haehwa (original story) and NARAK (art), Taemu Kang (Ahn Hyeo Seop) plays the 'perfect CEO' stereotype who ain't got no time for love so, after several hilarious events, he eventually hires Hari Shin (Kim Se Jeong) to play the part of his girlfriend to fool grandpa. Unbeknownst to him though, Hari is his employee. Will their fake relationship turn into a real one? You bet your ass!

The show ticks almost all of the required tropes, subverts some -what was a pleasant surprise- and entertains throughout, making perfect use of its runtime. The second lead couple, played by Kim Min Gue and Seol In Ah, also turned several heads, not to mention the latter had great BFF chemistry with Kim Se Jeong. Week after week, I was looking forward to every episode of this show, especially considering how disappointing another romcom that aired around the same time turned out to be, and that you may or may not find in this list. You could say this show aired just in time for Samantha and Rachel to cure my FLAWless disappointment.

Again My Life⭐

Episode count: 16

Where to watch: Viki

Rating: 8/10

Verdict: Lawful Lawyer is back!

The better Lawless Lawyer of 2022. Kim Hee Woo (Lee Joon Gi) is a prosecutor who travels back in time to put the people who murdered him behind bars while the audience wonders which female lead he should date. And between Kim Ji Eun, Hong Bi Ra, and Veronica Park Kim Jae Kyung, well, he's definitely not lacking in choices. Fortunately, time travel is merely used as a trigger to tell the story (similar to 365: Repeat the Year in this respect), so we don't have to worry about kdramas' rather abysmal track record with sci-fi. The show keeps you hooked episode after episode, finding a good balance between the scheming, putting people behind bars, throwing some punches (has those trademark LJG action sequences!), all the while going after the next big fish. Last, but not least, it does an incredibly good job at managing an ensemble cast of characters, and there are a lot of them! If you're a fan of Lawless Lawyer or Lee Joon Gi, you can't go wrong with this one.

Alchemy of Souls - Part 1

Episode count: 20

Where to watch: Netflix

Rating: 6/10

Verdict: Watch a fantasy cdrama instead

Alternatives: Fights Break Sphere, Fighter of the Destiny

When I watched the character promos for this show I thought this could be Korea's answer to some of China's fantasy dramas, possibly Xuanhuan dramas, and I was all for it! I liked the male actor, Lee Jae Wook, in other dramas I'd watched with him (he was great in When the Weather is Fine and Search: WWW), and Jung So Min playing a master assassin and mentor in a fantasy drama was quite appealing. Of course, I was a bit worried when the teaser dropped, with its emphasis on some weak comedy, but I decided to give the show the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, Part 1 didn't live up to the task. It meandered a lot, definitely under-using its 20-episode order, focusing on every romantic relationship under the sun and then some, ultimately delivering an unsatisfactory hero's journey for the ML, while the antagonists played ping-pong with the alchemy of souls. At times, I was reminded of Hwarang, a show I have reviewed very poorly and that seems to have relied on the idol factor to garner popular appeal.

I've previously compared Jang Uk's journey to that of Xiao Yan from the cdrama Fights Break Sphere, in that I expected the former, from the previews, to undergo a similar rise to power as the latter, rigorously training under his master, slowly climbing his way back to power, but with the additional appeal of developing that romantic relationship between Jung So Min's character and Lee Jae Wook's, what would've made for a more rewarding journey for both the character and the audience. This is a tried-and-true formula, also used by the popular anime The Rising of the Shield Hero, to mention but one other example. Unfortunately for us, Jang Uk can hardly be bothered to train (supposedly, he "trained" with twelve masters for years and didn't learn a damn), except at the very specific, and limited, times that the script dictates, instead relying on luck and plot contrivances to "skip ahead" his way to power, what makes for far less memorable scenes. Additionally, the cdrama nails the master-student relationship thanks to the great rapport between Baron Chen's Yao Chen and Leo Wu's Xiao Yan, but there's hardly such a bond between Mu Deok and Jang Uk.

In the end, Part 1 of Alchemy of Souls should've been about Jang Uk's rise to power under the guidance of his master, and later love interest, Mu Deok, but it's too unfocused, its attention constantly diverted by comedy, love polygons, or caricaturesque villains doing dumb things under everyone's noses. Perhaps its only saving grace was the character of the Crown Prince, brilliantly played by Shin Seung Ho, who was able to nail both the comedy and the drama when called for. However, if you're looking for a good fantasy drama with a more traditional (or any) hero's journey, watch Fights Break Sphere instead, with the caveat only the first season has been released, and it's doubtful there'll be a second. I'd also recommend Fighter of the Destiny, with Lu Han. It probably doesn't have as good CGI or sets, but it has a better grip on the hero's journey than Alchemy and nails the camaraderie aspects.

Alchemy of Souls - Part 2

Episode count: 10

Where to watch: Netflix

Rating: 7/10

Verdict: Works better as a standalone watch

I should've probably left Part 2 of the show for Part 2 of my list, but I'm going in alphabetical order so that's that. This is one of the shows I decided to rewatch to refresh my memory and, to my surprise, it fared much better the second time around. Why's that? Read on to find out!

Part 2 of Alchemy of Souls starts strong, much stronger than Part 1 did, something many were doubting when the news hit that Jung So Min wouldn't return for Part 2, instead being replaced by the original Naksu actress, Go Youn Jung. Fortunately, she does an excellent job throughout, but especially in the beginning of Part 2, which comes across as more of a fairy tale (Rapunzel's), and where the show decides to embrace some of the typical marriage contact tropes, as Young Jung's character fake-marries the now uber-powerful Jang Uk in order to escape from her mother's tight grasp. Honestly, I wish the show had started with Part 2, in media res, and used the material from Part 1 for flashback storytelling, in a similar vein to how The Untamed did it. God, that would've been so good! Precisely because Jang Uk has become sort of a demigod he can boss around all of the useless supporting characters from Part 1 (I'm looking at you, Pathetic Assembly of Evil), and pretty much do whatever he wants, so it's quite commendable to see him return smarter and more measured in his decision-making.

As someone who watched Part 2 live back then, it started to lose its initial glimmer when an inevitable reveal kept being delayed episode after episode, hinting that it would obviously occur the next one. Of course, this never happened, but what made matters worse was the fact that the ML was kept oblivious while everyone around him found out and chose not to tell him because... reasons? I can understand one person keeping the secret for his own agenda, maybe a couple, but I find it astonishing that even Jang Uk's friends and family shared this same agenda, as they also kept the truth from him. Additionally, the more this delay continued the further the narrative possibilities were constrained and, thusly, certain scenarios conjured up by fans never came to pass. However, this will not be much of an issue for people coming in blind to Part 2 (or with a healthy distance from Part 1). Perhaps even the fact that the noble idiocy card is played, or that the main antagonist is obstinately preserved by the writers until the very last episode to little effect (when he shouldn't have made it past Part 1), won't present much of an issue to newcomers.

Having said this, I still feel the final battle for the fate of the world remains rather underwhelming and anticlimactic, not helped by the fact that certain characters are resurrected right before said battle. After all, if the show outright establishes death is not permanent, minutes before "the end of the world," why should I fear for any of the characters? Even Jang Uk himself, during this final battle, doesn't show an ounce of worry that maybe this time he will not make it out alive, regardless of his powers, making the fight seem entirely mechanical and perfunctory. The writers even throw in some half-baked plot device about the King's Star being powered by seven other stars, and since it had never been explained throughout the show a character has to exposition-dump it on our laps (there's quite a lot of exposition dump going around in Part 2, what helps newcomers to the show). It's a plot device prominently featured in the cdrama Fighter of the Destiny, which I previously recommended, so maybe it was inspired by it?

In the end, if you still want to get a taste of the Alchemy experience, I wholeheartedly suggest you treat Part 2 as the original show, with Part 1 being the prequel made to cash in on the show's success that, ultimately, you may not even need. Thus, as a standalone, I'm revising my original rating for Part 2 from a 6/10 to a 7/10, bumping it into my above average bin.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Episode count: 16

Where to watch: Netflix

Rating: 6/10

Verdict: Better luck in S2

Alternatives: Good Doctor, Again My Life

Woo to the Young to the Woo started off with a bang and had me sold after binging its first four episodes (I had a bit of an offset), making me hopeful this could be one of my favourites from 2022. Sadly, it was thereabouts that the quality of the writing slowly started going downhill for me. Woo lost me on two fronts: the weak framing and execution of the legal cases, and the underdeveloped cast of supporting characters, who were mostly neglected in favour of Park Eun Bin's Young Woo. Don't get me wrong, Park Eun Bin nailed the character, and her conversation with her mom in Episode 8 was particularly poignant and well executed, but it wouldn't have hurt to give characters like Min Woo or Jun-ho a case that resonated with them, like "The Strife of the Three Brothers," which was relevant to Young Woo's BFF Geu Ra-mi.

I'll take Min Woo as an example because, out of the whole cast of supporting characters, he showed the most promise. The show mentions in passing that Min Woo is his family's sole breadwinner, what could explain why he's so competitive and regards Young Woo as a threat rather than a boon, but the show never tries to explore this when it has the perfect medium to do so in the form of the legal cases. So why not give him a case that echoes some of his struggles trying to support his family while making headway into the competitive legal world, thus allowing us and his teammates to get to know him a little better? In essence, show us, don't just tell us. How am I then supposed to buy his sudden change-of-heart in "The Blue Night of Jeju" when you've given me nothing to support the fact he's bonded with anyone in the team? (besides Jun-ho who was already his flatmate) Perhaps not surprisingly, this particular episode throws a bunch of arcs left and right for the supporting characters to try and grab hold of, but too little too late.

As a procedural, I feel Extraordinary Attorney Woo is pretty average. It either didn't know how or never intended to handle its supporting cast of characters and successfully integrate them into the narrative, similarly to how a show like Again My Life did. To draw a curious parallel, the final episode of Again My Life gathers all of "the good guys" at the restaurant of Hee Woo's parents. There are 14 of them in total, not counting Hee Woo and his parents, and I feel like they've truly become one big extended family by show's end. Extraordinary Attorney Woo has a similar scene, gathering everyone at Min Shik's place that is meant to convey the same feeling, but they don't quite feel like a team yet, let alone a family. Maybe in Season 2?

If you're looking for a show featuring another savant autistic lead, but with a better grasp on developing an ensemble cast of characters, as well as a romantic relationship between the leads, then Good Doctor is the show for you. On the other hand, if you're looking for a kickass lawyer, well, you probably already know who I'm talking about.

Fanletter, Please⭐

Episode count: 4

Where to watch: Viki

Rating: 8/10

Verdict: A lot of heart in a small package

The first among three shows in these lists that feature Choi Soo Young and Yoon Park as either main or supporting leads. I'd only previously watched Choi Soo Young in So I Married an Anti-Fan, a show not without its share of issues, but her as the female lead wasn't one. Indeed, she was one of the highlights and I was looking forward to seeing more of her work. As such, I was looking forward to this mini-series, more so when I realised Yoon Park would play the role of a father willing to move heaven and earth for his daughter, what is not a typical setup in kdramas (in my watching experience, mind you). Off the top of my head, I can only think of Marriage Contract and Lie After Lie as similar shows, in terms of how much of a protagonist the child actor is. Both are shows I would wholeheartedly recommend.

As for Fanletter, Please, I was positively pleased by how much content and social commentary this show was able to fit into its 4-hour runtime without harming the storytelling, something that even full-length kdramas struggle to achieve. Having said that, I would've welcomed one or two more episodes to let it breathe a little bit more and, of course, to watch some cute family moments! This is definitely a case of so good you want more of it. Still, Choi Soo Young and Yoon Park make it work within the available runtime, what's a credit to them and the script. CSY was on a roll last year (as you'll find out in Part 2!) so I'll have to keep an eye out for more of her dramas, and it was very welcome to see Yoon Park play this devoted father character after the disappointing Forecasting Love & Weather (though he was pretty good in it). Give me more short dramas!

Forecasting Love and Weather

Episode count: 16

Where to watch: Viki, Netflix

Rating: 6/10

Verdict: Couldn't forecast love and I have my doubts about the weather

Alternatives: She Would Never Know, The Rational Life

I have a soft spot for Park Min Young, having watched romcoms like What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? and Her Private Life, or even melodramas like When the Weather is Fine. And who can forget Healer, where she played the part of Lois Lane to Ji Chang Wook's Clark Kent (watch it, it's a classic). I couldn't remember a drama with her that I didn't enjoy watching, so it broke my heart a little to see what a disappointing mess Forecasting Love and Weather turned out to be. I should've heeded a friend's advice to steer clear of Song Kang dramas, even though the script was clearly the worse offender by far.

The show hooked us in with the initial romcom elements, and then decided to veer into slife/melo territory, as the relationships between the different couples started to fray, with conflict being driven at an accelerated pace by the issues that arose from poor communication, or an outright absence of it, and how the different couples handled (they often didn't) the results of their miscommunication. I didn't much mind at the time because I felt they were being somewhat mature about it without overplaying their hand, and because my weekly romcom fix was being delivered by A Business Proposal, but they were treading a fine line... that got utterly ground into dust in the last six episodes. At this point in the show, the nonsensical drama was amped considerably, to the point it could've given Young Lady & Gentleman a run for their money, setting us up for the inevitable breakup. Why? Because the kdrama gods have written that a breakup must inevitably occur in Episode 14 or thereabouts, and this show is not about to subvert that trope!

Like Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Forecasting Love and Weather failed at properly handling its ensemble cast of characters, trying to juggle five relationships to some very mixed results, when it would've been better off simply focusing on the main and secondary couples. As a result, by show's end I could've cared less what happened to the main couple, and was actually a bit more invested in the secondary one, played by Yoon Park and Yura, possibly because they at least tried to talk to each other and work things out. Honestly, Yoon Park's Ki Jun got the better deal out of all the characters in the show. How do you make Ki Jun, the guy who cheated on his fiancée with Si Woo's girlfriend, a more likable, or at least interesting, character than everyone else? You have him grow from an immature baby into a more or less responsible adult. You could argue that the main leads experience growth of their own, but it struck me as a bit aimless, a bit hollow. I mean, 16 episodes for Ha Kyung's boss to tell her you learn more from your mistakes than you do your successes? Seriously? Just go to r/GetMotivated for that.

Would I recommend this show? Unless you want to learn a little about what goes on behind the scenes of a weather forecast, not really, but maybe it's my fault for having high expectations due to PMY. It's not a bad show though, just average. If you want far better executed takes on this concept, check She Would Never Know on the kdrama side, and The Rational Life on the cdrama side.

Glitch💀

Episode count: 10

Where to watch: Netflix

Rating: 3/10

Verdict: Watching an episode of Ancient Aliens on the History Channel would've been more exciting and a lot shorter too

Alternatives: Circle

Can I get away simply by saying watching this show was a glitch? No? Dammit. I should've known better than to watch a Netflix-produced kdrama, even if it does star Nana, 'cause they've all been a bust for me, but Glitch was one of the privileged few shows I watched in 2022 that made me feel I had utterly wasted my time, with no redeeming qualities about it. 500 minutes to tell a story that lacks focus and is all over the place, perhaps stretched thin to meet a Netflix episode quota, with a FL that is not particularly interesting to follow, as she goes through a midlife crisis and teams up with Nana to investigate a UFO cult that may or may not have kidnapped her ex to sell his kidneys. Okay, maybe I made up that last bit about the kidneys.

The comedy doesn't land, the mystery doesn't land, the drama doesn't land, and the UFO doesn't land either. Undoubtedly, the finale is the better episode of the show, not least of why because it marked the ending, but also because the show didn't have any more time to dawdle as it had been doing for the past nine episodes, what gave it some much needed focus. To make matters worse, the surprises and twists at the end of each episode just weren't good enough to keep you hooked, nor, I'm afraid, were the leads. I was tempted at the time to give this show my first ever 1/10 for the way it wasted my time over the span of those 500 minutes, with a story that was infuriatingly inconsistent and lacked a lot of common sense, but it's probably not that bad. Still, I would only recommend watching it to my enemies, probably alongside something like Sisyphus.

Good Job

Episode count: 12

Where to watch: Viki

Rating: 7/10

Verdict: Good fun

Alternatives: Secret Royal Inspector

Another ENA network show, like Extraordinary Attorney Woo, but shorter and more entertaining, as we follow the crazy antics of Eun Soon Woo (Jung Il Woo), a chaebol CEO who doubles as a private detective (think Bruce Wayne/Batman), and Don Se Ra (Kwon Yu Ri), his newly-recruited superpowered assistant, as they aim to solve a 20-year-old cold case while uncovering other, smaller, cases, helping people and rectifying injustices along the way.

Good Job is just a fun ride overall, even if the comedy can be a little hit-or-miss sometimes, especially when it drags on for too long or tries the Marvel route of undermining certain scenes. The writing too could've benefited from another revision, as some events feel gratuitously delayed, like when a character refuses to reveal a certain name only to do so a few minutes later, while others are forced to a head, like Se Ra discovering Soon Woo's batcave. Oh, yeah, he has a batcave, of sorts, and even an Alfred, in the form of Lee Joon Hyuk's Director Hong, whom you may recall from Mystic Pop-Up Bar. He also has a talented sidekick and comedic support, Jin Mo (Eum Moon Suk), both a lawyer and a hacker, who also gets into a romantic entanglement of his own with Se Ra's best friend, Na Hee (Song Sang Eun). This is the mini-Justice League you'll see play dress-up (these scenes are so over-the-top fun!) from episode to episode, as they go undercover to solve cases and get one step closer to their goal. In this sense, this show could be compared to something like Taxi Driver, but, unlike the latter, Good Job doesn't take itself too seriously and neither should you for maximum enjoyment.

While the resolution of the final case felt a bit underwhelming, and perhaps a tad perfunctory (I did appreciate the brief redemption arc for one of the antagonists though), Good Job achieves in 12 episodes what Extraordinary Attorney Woo could not in 16, making its cast of characters grow into a team, one I would not mind accompanying in more adventures in future seasons. Will that happen? Probably not, so if you're looking for more fun adventures of the sort, and don't mind traveling to the past, I would not hesitate to recommend Secret Royal Inspector, with Kim Myung Soo and Kwon Na Ra.

Grid💀

Episode count: 10

Where to watch: Disney+

Rating: 4/10

Verdict: Another nail in the kdrama sci-fi coffin

Alternatives: 365: Repeat the Year, Reset, Circle

Sci-fi is one of my favourite genres, but kdramas have had a rather lousy track record at delivering good quality sci-fi and, sadly, Grid does nothing to change that. Our story starts in 1997, when a mysterious time traveler known as "the Ghost" laves a program for an energy grid to replace Earth's failing magnetic fields. This Grid is now managed by the Administration Bureau who intend to track down the Ghost and unlock the secrets of time travel... eventually. The show's comprised of only ten episodes, yet the pacing of the first half is slower than it has any right to be given the events depicted (hint: they aren't that exciting) and the dialogue isn't stimulating enough to sustain such a slow burner. This "season" could've been compressed into 5 or 6 episodes and it would've been stronger for it. Of course, then it would hardly qualify as a "season" (though Netflix seems to think it does).

The main plot line focuses around this serial killer and the fact that the Ghost is helping him evade capture. Why is this time traveler aiding and abetting a criminal? Honestly, this question was never interesting enough to fuel ten weeks of watching (the pain!) and it shows. Additionally, it is not answered conclusively, although there are some bread crumbs for the viewer to put the pieces together. In fact, this statement captures the show in a nutshell; it raises questions, but never provides any conclusive or satisfying answers, playing on the viewer's knowledge of other (better) time travel stories so they can come up with their own. Perhaps the worst example of this is the season finale, which is only meant to set up events for a possible S2 (in your dreams, or nightmares), thereby raising even more questions.

The writer behind this, Lee Soon Yeon, is apparently quite good, having written for Stranger and Stranger 2. I haven't watched either show so I can't comment on them, but time travel stories aren't for everyone. Having said that, the "mysteries" that are supposed to keep viewers hooked were also underwhelming. I remember reading an article that recommended Grid as a show that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I suppose it's possible to fall off your seat while asleep, right? If you want a show that uses time travel well, though in very limited fashion, merely as a trigger for the plot to unfold, watch 365: Repeat the Year. The cdrama Reset is a great exponent of using a time loop and one of my favourites from 2022. If you want kdrama's best exponent of sci-fi to date, watch Circle (review on the way).

If You Wish Upon Me⭐

Episode count: 16

Where to watch: Viki

Rating: 8/10

Verdict: The genie from Aladdin would be proud

First things first, there is a better version of this show if you take out the gangster storyline, which was entirely superfluous, and better integrate the sister storyline into the main plot. You can also drop the jealous doctor who added surprisingly little beyond being jealous at the required times (what a waste of a perfectly good character). Repackage it all into a shorter, 12-episode, season and this show could've reached 9-10 territory for me. Those are pretty much the weakest aspects of the show.

With that out of the way, it's a very good show. People have compared it to Chocolate given that it takes place in a hospice ward but, for my part, I dropped that show after 5 or 6 episodes, partly because of the ML. No such problem with Ji Chang Wook's character here, an orphan and ex-con with a heart of gold, and a cute dog he's named "Son." Despite all the abuse he's been subjected to throughout his life, he slowly starts to open up as he does community service at the hospice. Paired with Choi Soo Young's flirty Nurse Seo (love her!), these two alone make a powerful case for watching this show. Sung Dong Il also delivers a great performance and has some wonderful exchanges with Ji Chang Wook's character.

The show follows the "case of the week" formula for the most part, certainly during the first half of the drama, as Team Genie tries to fulfill the final wishes of the hospice's patients and often positively impact other people's lives in so doing. Be prepared and have tissues at hand. Beyond the gangster detour that wasted our time towards the end, and drew dangerously close to upending all the good will the show had garnered throughout its run, the final episode really brings it home, coming full circle and delivering a really satisfying conclusion to our story, one final surprise as Team Genie brings down the curtain on their show and bids us goodbye.

In short, yes, it could've been better with a tighter focus but, as it stands, it's one of the better shows to have come out in 2022, and perhaps Ji Chang Wook's best work since Healer (with the caveat that I have not yet watched Suspicious Partner nor Lovestruck in the City). And Choi Soo Young is now 2 for 2! (this girl's on 🔥🔥)

Jinxed at First💀

Episode count: 16

Where to watch: Viki

Rating: 4/10

Verdict: Oh, it's jinxed alright

Alternatives: My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, Goblin, Scripting Your Destiny

I had measured expectations for this drama. Na In Woo had previously worked with the same director in 2021's River Where the Moon Rises, a show I enjoyed a great deal, though mostly because it was the first time I delved deep into the history behind the drama, namely the tale of Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal the Fool, and the history of the Three Kingdoms' period. He was brought in late, with production underway, to replace Ji Soo; he barely slept, had to adlib a lot of his scenes, and still managed to have great chemistry with Kim So Hyun and, to my mind, had the better grasp on the character of On Dal. I'd hoped Jinxed at First would give him another opportunity to shine, but, alas, that was not the case.

The first episode alone is a hectic storytelling mess (and, incidentally, River Where the Moon Rises alumni reunion), rushing through a lot of backstory and setup for the rest of the season. We're introduced to Soo Gwang, a bright student with a promising future and powerful friends, whose life takes a turn for the worse when he meets Seul Bi (Seo Hyun), a woman imprisoned since birth by his best friend's dad because of her strange ability to see a person's future through a single touch. Cut to a year later, where we find Soo Gwang working as a fishmonger under a different name, only for Seul Bi to track him down again, determined to remain by his side.

Honestly, I'm not sure what genre this show wanted to be, but I'm pretty sure it failed at most of them. For the first 6 or 7 episodes it tried to resemble something like My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, as Seul Bi is just as innocent and naïve as Miho was (even if Miho sold it better than Seul Bi did, to my mind), and both male leads were resolved to get rid of her. This is perhaps the strongest portion of the show, as Seul Bi adapts to her new environment and neighbors, making new friends while at the same time helping Soo Gwang get rid of his (never explained) bad luck. I even enjoyed some of the comedy. However, unlike My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, there is not enough chemistry between the leads to have them fall in love with each other over the course of 6 or 7 episodes. Well, not in Soo Gwang's case at any rate, as Seul Bi has been infatuated with him for years. Upon falling in love, the trope that naturally follows is a break-up, after which point the show starts to resemble more of a makjang, turning to corporate and chaebol intrigue and infighting. This is also around the time Soo Gwang's best friend, Min Joon (played by Ki Do Hoon, from Scripting Your Destiny), decides he's in love with Seul Bi (what?), something even more out of left field, especially when he's already engaged to Lee Ho Jung's (Soljiwan!!!) charming character, Ja Kyung, who effortlessly stole every scene she was in. Min Joon, if you don't want her, I'll gladly take her off your hands!

Seemingly having exhausted the depth of its narrative well, the show dragged its feet for several episodes, eventually deciding the story was better served by turning a character into a psychopath, who also wanted Seul Bi for himself and was willing to kill anyone in the process, an eye-rolling set of circumstances eventually resolved thanks to Seul Bi's expansive (aka nonsensical) repertoire of supernatural powers. And, of course, in a show of this caliber, the amnesia trope could not be absent, a card that is dealt in the very last episode and resolved at the very last minute. What a payoff.

When I first learned of this drama I recall reading an outline that went something along the lines of, "Unlucky man meets a goddess of luck." Would it have been too much to ask for a show fitting that description, but in the vein of the excellent Goblin instead? Or maybe something like Scripting Your Destiny, which is certainly not as good as Goblin, but is still way better than this, and much shorter too. If you want to watch a show that features a romantic relationship between a god and a human, I encourage you to give those a try instead, as well as the aforementioned My Girlfriend is a Gumiho.

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duchess-music · 6 months

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|| A Lonely Sinner - samlrc ||

Genres: Post-Rock, Ambient, Shoegaze

REVIEW

This is EASILY the best project I've heard so far this year. Without a doubt. There isn't a second on this entire album that manages to bore me, which is very impressive considering the length of some of the songs on here. The production is impressive as hell, transitioning through calm, relaxing moments into fast-paced and exciting moments within the same tracks.

Opening with the calm yet perculiar ambient track 'Lamb Theme', the tone of the album is set immediately and expertly with sheep noises and undiscernible echoing sounds, eventually introducing a piano. We move on to the second track: 'Philautia'. This 12 minute masterpiece which is the first real song on the album introduces us excellently to samlrc's talent and style in creating music. The violins and acoustic guitar of the beginning of this track are reminiscent of the kind of music I'd expect to hear in Minecraft, and that's certainly a complement. Samlrc sings alongside a calming acoustic guitar in the middle of this track, which is abandoned after some time for a hype-inducing drum pattern that progresses the song. This leads into a standout guitar-part as the song comes to a close with airy vocals after the guitar has gone.

'Sinner' is a must-hear of this album. The strength of its middle section is unparalleled from almost any song I've listened to before, with powerful guitars and drums to keep a slow rhythm while the distortion booms in the background after the subtle beginning to the track. It's a must-have on your playlist, and debatably the best song on this album.

After leaving the title track, 'Flowerfields' presents us with a dramatic piano and hypnotic background vocals to soothe us from the sheer unstoppability of the last song. I'd contend this to be the least-enjoyable moment of the album, yet it manages still to be a pleasant listening experience. It still manages to be an excellent segue from 'Sinner' to 'Storge', this albums other 12-minute track. It opens with an odd arrangement of sounds, and vocals which are silly at best, but soon moves onward to create a tense atmosphere with booming, shoegaze-y guitars in the rigid rhythms which have come to suit samlrc well.

'Storge' is not a track to be underestimated, being my personal favourite on the album. It's cinematic vastness in the middle of the song is truly fantastic, crossing a hurricane of noise into the heavy guitar riffs that build into the end of the song. It's not often an album can make you feel like you're drifting through a lake on a lily pad AND make you want to headbang just tracks apart, but samlrc manages it. 'Storge' eventually moves into the calm territory just as it's about to end, completing the songs fantastic journey and fading seamlessly into 'Sheep Theme'. This is the only song I'd describe as standard. It doesn't present us with much uniqueness in terms of music, bar samlrc's tremendous production. Despite being 'standard', it's definitely a banger. Samlrc proves she can write the music of the everyman and the music of the experimentalist.

The triumphant 'For M.' is the last proper song on this album, and it is really a brilliant piece of music. It properly brings everything to a neat close halfway through the song, only to build itself up once again to guide us into the last track; 'The Beauty of the Present Moment'. I don't have much to say about the closing track, other than it's a very pleasant ambient piece which ties a bow on everything on our way out.

This is a brilliant listening experience for anyone wishing to do so. I could not recommend this more. The weakest aspect of this project is the wispy lead vocals which could use more definition, yet they still add to the atmosphere in many places. This is expertly produced, written, performed, and is enjoyable throughout

FINAL SCORE: 95/100

#music #album review #post rock #ambient #shoegaze #samlrc #a lonely sinner #2024 #purple score #album #lp

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cosmicalily · 3 months

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nayeon - 'na' mini album review + ranking

'something' - when i heard the audio teaser for this, i was immediately SO excited. then when i heard the start of this song, i was even more excited. 'SAY MY NAME' who?? that guitar SCREAMS iconic y2k track. i love this genre for twice (see basics & rush) and i feel like the way this track was produced works SO well for the overall vibe of the album. liquid drum and bass (at least the very simple, dreamy style of it) has become almost a bit overdone in my opinion due to the newjeansification of kpop (not dealing with that here) but the use of the guitar in the background gives it that iconic y2k feeling similar to destiny's child and tlc. i think overall this is a really easy to listen to track, however i definitely did expect a little more from it after listening to the audio snippet. would've loved more of the nayeon rap because that's what i was most excited for!

'count it' - this is so dreamy, it reminds me a bit of 'wishing on you' from jihyo's solo album, which is one of my favs. i love a slow nayeon song that solely focuses on her super sweet, smooth vocals and i feel like it's nice to hear her lower voice for a change too, especially bc jyp absolutely makes her (and jihyo) work overtime with those high ass adlibs in their group songs. this was honestly everything i wanted from this song; slow, an easy listen, beautiful, minimal production that still doesn't feel boring or repetitive, and that ending was honestly my fave thing EVER! could listen to it on repeat, and most definitely will. it felt like the perfect outro song for this album too.

'magic' - that prechorus is SO delicious oh my god! nayeon and julie is literally giving the kpop version of every iconic collab in the 2010s between an insane vocalist and badass rapper (i'm thinking nikki minaj, ariana grande, iggy azalea before she got cancelled lol) however, i actually don't love the chorus as much as i was hoping! it definitely fits the vibe of the song but i feel like it didn't entirely live up to my expectations for it. of course, julie's vocals are absolutely insane, i'll never not go on about them, and nayeon absolutely ate! i feel like this track again matches the late 2000s vibes i'm getting from the album, with a little more this would have 110% been my favourite song.

'abcd' - NAYONCE WHO??? i'm actually not joking at all, this was absolutely what the kpop industry needed. that very typical young, teenager-y y2k concept has honestly been entirely overdone (yk what i'm talking about, every girl group and their mother's been a victim of it welp) so i'm SO GLAD that icons like kiss of life and now nayeon have decided to bring back mature y2k! we need trashy! we need camp! we need intense instrumentals and sassy raps and lyrics! pop was so cute and i adore it for her, but i love seeing the more adult concept for nayeon too, esp bc she's almost 30 now and i feel like she needed something a little more. this feels very very very much like crazy in love by beyonce, which kind of does unsettle me a little, it's not a bad thing but that song is VERY iconic so it feels like a very tricky song to try and replicate even when its done a bit differently, because there's always gonna be comparisons regardless and a song like that just cannot be outdone, no matter how iconic nayeon is. however, it's different to all the recent releases we've had in kpop so imma let it slide. also, i was VERY disappointed by the fact that this track, the TITLE TRACK, was less than three minutes. why tf are ALL of the bsides longer?? the math is not mathing. i was really hoping short song syndrome wouldn't hit 3rd gen kpop but apparently it has, which is actually so sucky. also i highkey hate jyp's promotion methods bc y'all did NOT need to spoil the entire chorus?? like i would've enjoyed this so much more if it was a suprise yk. that felt like a really dumb move especially when there wasn't even a super different crazy end chorus so that felt like a bad decision but oh well. solid title track, 9/10 (-2 for the shortness of the song and promotions). and final thoughts, i feel like jihyo also would've eaten this concept up. after seeing namoji perform 10 minutes, i've been needing them to do a song as a subunit and i feel like this would've fitted them as a trio SO well.

'halligalli' - she's cute, she's bubbly, but not too childish either. she JUST fits into this album's concept in my opinion, and it feels like the classic twice bside recipe (this isn't a bad thing, but it does sound like something i've heard before from twice and it fits into their discography well). however, sticking to the classics isn't a bad thing at all, often if you have all new genres an album can feel daunting and too diverted from the identity you felt the artist was originally showing. so i think this is a very safe but cute track. it'll go on my playlist, but i feel like she's a tiny bit forgettable.

'butterflies' - can someone explain to me why this wasn't on the 'im nayeon' album? because this SCREAMS that concept. it's super cute and very nayeon-esque, but i feel like it takes away from the more mature concept this album was leaning towards? it feels very teenage y2k lovesong, which is super cute, but this album was gearing more towards iconic y2k artists in their adult prime so i feel like this doesn't quite resonate with that. i'll definitely listen to it because it's a good track, but probably not in conjunction with the rest of the album since it doesn't fit my mental vibe for it lmao.

'heaven' - out of the two slow tracks, 'count it' was honestly my favourite. i think its also because this song was fully english and it felt like an overload of entirely english songs in this album, which is lowkey weird for me to say as an international fan, but it feels like twice is trying too hard to globalise its audience and is forgetting about their initial fanbase. like twice has been doing one english track in their albums for a bit now, but even the title track for this album was very english heavy and so were most of the bsides. three out of six bsides were english, and the others still have a lot of english lyrics. anyways, it just didn't stick out to me as much as the other songs, still very sweet and nice to listen to but not particularly outstanding in my eyes. it'll definitely end up on my playlist though!

let me know your opinions on this comeback. i personally adore this image for nayeon and think it was overall a solid album!

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slashingdisneypasta · 2 years

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PLATONIC FAMILIAL!Toon Patrol x Smartass'Daughter!Reader || Oneshot [Part 4]

Title: Her First Friend

Notes:

The next chapter is my favourite!! It'll be in Wheezy's POV ^^

So my headcanon for 'Ritchie Rabbit', Roger and Jessica's kid in this, is that they adopted him ^^ Also, his colour is gonna be yellow but Roger and Jessica wont have colour 😅 Just the Toon Patrol and the kiddies. Sorry!

This chapter was really hard for me, so sorry for the long wait!! Stupid POV is soooo hard.

Plot: A baby girl is left on the Toon Patrol's front door step and now they take her for picnic days at the playground ^^

Warnings: The usual Toon Patrol shenanigans XD ...

Stupid Weasels POV

"Duh, yay! The playground! Hurry now Y/N, we gotta get to the swings before someone else beats us!" I exclaim when we pull into the parking lot, turning and holding out my hands to take her from her favourite spot in the world- Wheezy's lap.

... No seriously. Its definitely her favourite. SHE NEVER LEAVES.

I wake up in the morning, Y/N's having her breakfast in Wheezy's lap. I get up in the middle of the night cuz she's crying, Y/N's in Wheezy's lap and she's not crying anymore. We have a meal together, she's in Wheezy's lap. The sky starts to fall- she will be sitting in Wheezy's lap!!!

And- nooo. No, no. I'm not jealous. That's what Greasy says, but he's wrong!

"Alright, alright, fall out boys. We're here." The boss pulls the truck to a sudden stop, jolting us all, and hops out to swing the back doors open for us. Y/N giggles and clutches my head as I set her up on my shoulders and jump out- rushing for the swings and making her squeal up there. "OY!" The boss yells after us, a liiiiittle bit of terror in his voice. "REMEMBER DUMBO- YOU DROP HER YOU DIE!!"

Yeah, yeah- I know Boss! Duh!

Still, I slow down a bit though- and Psycho immediately zooms past us like the Tasmanian devil, and steals the very last swing. I halt in my tracks, then, and think maybe I could yank him off it??... "Psychooo!"

He gives an evil little laugh, and holds out his arms for Y/N. "You snooze you lose!~ Now c'mon Y/N!!~ Come to Psychoo~ "

... No. I dont wanna give her up. We were gonna go super high and- Oh, Y/N, you want to go to Psycho? Okay then!~ I happily hand her over to Psycho when he pats his lap and she wiggles around in my hold- reaching and grabbing for him. Then I bound around behind them and push them.

I got gentle, at first, as Psycho perks up and looks around like a meerkat for the boss. We spot him, past the slide at a picnic table setting up the food with Greasy - Wheezy's not allowed to help with food. He has to go sit at least 20 feet away, because the Boss thinks he packed 'cancer pie' or something, - and not paying attention to us at all. "... Now!" Psycho exclaims, which is the signal that I can push them harder.

"Okie Dokie!~ " I sing. "Hold on tightly to Y/N, Psycho~ " As he wraps his arms around Y/N and hunkers down over her so his chin rests on her head, I take the swing seat in both my hands and I lift them good and high.

Then I drop them, and when they come back to me I start pushing as hard as I can.

This what we have to do whenever we come to the playground, because if the Boss catches us putting Y/N in danger then he'll shoot us- or put our heads in a toilet- or kick us some place not nice. He would probably hate it if he found out we do this, but Psycho says what Smartass doesn't know wont hurt him~, so I guess its okay!

"- Oh hi, guys!! Can I have a go next??" I hear a familiar voice behind me, and turn my head as Psycho and Y/N slow down on the swing because I'm not pushing anymore- surprised at what I see. A... rabbit? A cute little rabbit, a little older then Y/N, and for some reason he's... kind of... familiar?? He doesn't look like anyone I know, I don't think, but the clothes... There is something about those clothes... little suspenders, and tow tie... hmm... huhh...

Could it be... "Roger?~" Psycho lets out a giggle, spying the rabbit himself behind a tree a next to the playground.

Before Psycho can hop off the swing and go over to Roger, the little rabbit speaks to us again. "My daddy says he knows you guys!" Yes, he does! "Except her," He points to Y/N, and she raises her little paw to waive- a cheerful little smile on her face. "Hi! I'm Ritchie! Who are you?" 'Ritchie' walks over (When- I don't understand- shouldn't he hop??) and gets on his tip toes to peak over Psychos lap, to her. Psycho doesn't seem to notice at all as I 'supervise', his freaky swirly eyes glued to Roger's form trembling behind the tree.

"Duh, her names Lottie." I tell the little, non-hopping rabbit after Y/N makes a strange noise that almost sounds a bit like her name but not quite. She tries again, though.

"Hhh... hi... R-Ri... chi." She grins, proud of herself as she leans over a little to give Ritchie a waive. "H- Hi, Ritchie!" Giving a giggle, she repeats it again- and again- while I look around in a panic for the boss. Where did he go?? He was at the table!- "Hi Ritchie!! Ritchie, hi!"

My eyes are bugging right out of my head and so are Psycho's, tearing his gaze away from Roger to look down at Y/N with a gasp. She spoke!! Where's the Boss!? Boss- BOSS!-

Psycho jumps out of his seat with her, going to dash for the boss if we can find him- when-

We turn around, and he's already there. Standing a few feet away from the swings standing really really still, his own eyes round like dinner plates as well! He looks shocked, the hat on his head causing a shade over his face from the sun and for a few moments neither Psycho or I know what to do at all... did he hear her??... or???

Then, he smiles. The Boss SMILES (Which he's been doing a lot more often since we got Y/N, but is still freaky to look at), and comes over to ruffle his daughters hair, making her laugh. "Good girl, doll."

... her first words were 'Hi Ritchie'. While Smartass and Y/N have their father-daughter moment, Psycho and I look at eachother and groan. Aww, I was hoping it would be 'Stupid', ha! Cuz its my name! Psycho wanted it to be- oh... why's the boss smiling like that? That's kind of creepy... the evil look is in his eyes now too... what-

He whips around and points at Greasy across the playground. "HEY YOU! ASSHOLE! YOU OWE ME FIFTY BUCKS!"

"... SHE SPOKE??" All of a sudden both Greasy, and Wheezy are with us too.

"WITHOUT ME?" Wheezy exclaims, picking her up out of Psycho's arms and holding her up by the armpits in front of him; A disappointed, tired look on his face. "... babygirl, we had a deal."

"And it wasn't SPANISH??" Greasy cuts in, crossing his arms next to Wheezy and looking super betrayed at Y/N... who crosses her arms back, and sticks out her tongue at them both. Psycho giggles at her and we all ignore the little rabbit boy still among us, grinning wide and all excited like he's apart of the family. "Una linda!! After all that work we put in!!- "

"Oy. Stop harassing my kid." The Boss plucks Y/N out of Wheezy's grasp and sets her on her bum, on the ground. Then flashes Greasy another smirk. "And don't be a sore loser- it doesn't suit you, green bean. Cough up the dough."

"Losing doesn't suit me, you cranky old bastardo- but," Greasy sighs, defeated as he reaches into his pocket. "Fine."

"That's right pal," While Smartass continues to rub it in as he counts his new money, Roger finally slips out from behind his tree, sneaks over to us, grabs little Roger by the arm and 'stage sneaks' away. Or tries to. The Boss catches him red-handed. "Ohhh... and look what we got here, boys... a bunny rabbit trynna sneak away undetected... "

Some of us chuckle- even though its not funny. Wheezy told me, though, that when the boss says something kinda spooky like that in that low voice- we gotta chuckle menacingly after. He says it intimidates people.

I don't know about that, but whatever~ Wheezy's smart, so I guess he must be right.

And it sure stops Roger in his tracks!

"Ohhhhhh h-h-heyyy, guys... long time no see... " He ducks his head low, not looking at any of us as he itches the back of his foot with the other one. We surround him, so he cant hop away.

Smartass talks first, he always does most of the talking. He's good at it! ^^ He does some more intimidation, by acting nice- Wheezy told me about this, too. He said it unnerves people. Is it because the Boss is so mean usually? I tried to ask him that, but he just called me nimrod... "Heh heh heh, well Roger... how's it been?"

"How's the wife, eh- Oof." Greasy tries to talk, but Smartass squeezes his snout causing a sound like deflated balloon to come out of Greasy's nose and it makes me laugh. Ha ha- do that again, boss!

"Oh, uh, f- f- fine... Wonderful, actually! Jessica is just best wife in the whole world- she's so nice, and bakes me carrot cake every single week! And now we have Ritchie!" Roger gives the little rabbit a pat on the head, giving a warm smile after closing his eyes so he cant see us anymore- he tenses up pretty quick though when he opens his eyes, again. What a wierdo. "H- H- howww about you guys?? How's y- y- your babysitting sssss- serivice going??"

Chuckling, the boss tilts his head to the side; All confused. "Baby sitting service?... "

"W-well, the kid, of course! Haha." Roger gestures to Y/N. Smartass looks slowly from his kid, to Roger. "If you're not babysitting her then why would you have he- " All of sudden Roger takes all the air at the playground, sucking it all in when he gasps. "Did you kidnap her?? OH- NO- YOU'RE KIDNA- "

Wheezy gets behind Roger and slaps his hand over the rabbits mouth- holding him down as he wiggles and tries to get away~

A few parents from around the playground look up at the scene, curiosity and concern on their faces, but Psycho just gives them a little waive and Greasy gives a wink- all good here! No need to worry. "Keep that screeching down!! What are- " Smartass whisper-yells. "What are you? You trynna get us all arrested!? We are at a kids park you numbscull! Jesus christ. We didnt kidnap her! She's my kid."

"Mhm, mhm- we did a blood test if you wanna see it!" I pipe up, nodding with a smile at Roger.

... For a moment nobody moves. Roger doesn't move, the Boss doesn't movie, and none of the rest of us do either. Its awkward, and I have an itch now, but I stay as still as a statue watching Roger.

Then suddenly he screams again, louder time even though the sound is still muffled by Wheezy's paw that probably smells gross. Smartass sighs, his eyes rolling up towards the big open sky while Greasy facepalms and Psycho giggles.

I itch my butt.

Nobody notices but me, but Y/N gets up onto her fat little legs, takes Ritchie's hand and toddles - yes, toddles. She learned to walk on her second birthday last week!! it was super exciting, - over to the sandpit with him...

#PLATONIC FAMILIAL!Toon Patrol x Smartass'Daughter!Reader #PLATONIC FAMILIAL!Toon Patrol x Smartass'Daughter!Reader Oneshot #Oneshot #Smartass Weasel #Greasy Weasel #Wheezy Weasel #Stupid Weasel #Psycho Weasel #Toon Patrol #Toon Patrol x Reader

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camerongrn · 5 months

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radical optimism - dua lipa

marking her first album release since future nostalgia, 'radical optimism' by dua lipa feels like such an odd return. released in 2024, the album takes on that 80s/70s sound dua is known for, which is my biggest critique for this album. although she DOES incorporates (promised) elements of psychedelic music, half of this project feels scarily similar to the later releases of her future nostalgia era. HOWEVER, ITS STILL SUCH A GOOD ALBUM! this album is the definition of summertime, it feels like a refreshing swim. it takes those 'psychedelic' elements and tones them down into a smooth, easy-listening experience.

dua lipa is not known for boundary breaking lyricism or theme-exploration. however, here there does appear to be a slight overarching theme explored throughout the tracklist; that of radical optimism. she explained the title along the sense of that positive mindset you can take into life that gives you the ability to do anything. and i feel like that really encapsulates this album well, from the lyrics to the instrumentals. her song writing on this album is by no definition groundbreaking, but it is extremely interesting and explores vulnerable topics unseen in dua's previous works. moreover, her collaborations with danny l harle and tame impala really make this album, their work on the instrumentals of this album is what really save it for me. their styles blend together surprisingly well into this britpop, groovy, optimistic sound which really suits the album.

my favourite track off this album has to be 'whatcha doing', this mid-album track takes clear inspiration from this idea of radical optimism; dua explores that vulnerability you feel when speaking to someone you're interested in. it almost feels like an r&b song spun on its head and infused with these groovy basslines which are carried throughout the album. i really like this track, it feels like the perfect evolution for dua, in terms of sound and lyricism.

overall, 'radical optimism' feels weird; not in its sound or lyrics, but in its aura, its concept feels too abstract. its hard to explain because objectively it's a really good album, but the promotion around it and its place in dua's discography feels out of place. although i am happy that she is back with new music, this era has been so very interesting so far and i am extremely interested in seeing what she does further with this 'new?' sound that she has curated on this album.

favourite track: whatcha doing

least favourite track: anything for love

spotify link: Radical Optimism - Album by Dua Lipa | Spotify

★★★★☆ 4/5

#dua lipa #radical optimism #music #2024 music #music review #music recs #pop music #Spotify

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emperornero · 1 year

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tagged by @scribl1ta !! thank you so much :]

last song : pizza tower ost - unexpectancy [full song] . awesome track but absolutely an insane experience if you dont see the boss fight its paired with. the sample in part 2. truly a work of art. part 2 is actually my least favourite but its so goofy how can i hate it

last film : cronenberg's videodrome i think ? i rewatched it like 2 weeks ago. for a new one i havent seen before it would be tmnt mutant mayhem i went to the cinema with my brother for it in last month

currently reading : if i dont count the stuff i started months ago and havent finished yet . then its books for literature class [i havent started these YET but its a matter of a couple of days until i have to] so 'tango' by sławomir mrożek 'the plague' by albert camus and some other stuff i forgot . for the books i started reading on my own and havent finished them : i still have to finish the second part of 'the confessions of young nero' [i straight up forgot the title to it rn auhhg] i havent touched it since june i think ? idk why i cant bring myself upon finishing it dude come on theres nero in it its nero book do it read it

currently watching : nothing . i dont watch tv shows sorrey

current obsession : you know im still on that nero grind day and night long ........ ive been doing research for my quo vadis video too if that counts. aaand ive been thinking about making furry art more often recently i need to draw my fursona again

tagging @homestuckrichard @smsnsa @kotowatee @hydromantia @jesuscrab @camillecorot @cyrus-the-younger aaand anyone who wants to do this can just tag me as the prev ^_^

#tagged

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frozen-fountain · 1 year

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WIP Soundtrack Tag

Thank you for the tag, @vcaudley; in return I offer anyone who feels like sharing their tunes the chance to jump in.

It took me a minute to put this together, and in the meantime, @hrh-spinach requested I do the ten songs one again so I'm looking at this as combining the two. But these are the songs I've been playing the most while working on this thing, a longer story about Tifa and Cloud post-OG canon. But I've also thrown in a few that are anthems for this series as a whole.

Ain't it Funny by Danny Brown This is the vibe. Making up for the teenage years you lost to trauma and imprisonment with reckless sex and drug use is all fun and games until it isn't; the whole album exemplifies this, in addition to just being one of my favourites, but this track. This track! The way the trumpet line keeps on shifting and becomes increasingly urgent and siren-like as the song goes on - it's perfect.

Phenom by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down I chose this to exemplify the anger that comes with any sort of self-awakening or actualisation, aimed at the world and on some level at yourself for not allowing it before. And I apply that to the whole village the story takes place in, compromised mostly of the denizens of an oppressed undercity who barely escaped the near-apocalypse event that made their former home its epicentre. (As an aside, I'd never looked up the video for this before, and I love it!)

Ghosts in My Heart by Mariee Sioux Zooming back in on our protagonists now. Two people who've come a long way from where they were, but whose journey to that increase in self-awareness has given them a whole new set of baggage to work through. And doing that work is even harder when you're surrounded by a slew of people hailing you as heroes, leaders, saviours, and new best friends.

Sleep is a Curse by Maudlin of the Well This one featured in my last fic soundtrack tag post as a default Cloud song, but here it is again. The conflicted and guilty thoughts he's wrestling with while trying his best to implement the healthier ways of being he's learned and to show up for the community they're trying to build.

Hyper-Ballad by Björk Related to the above; when you're finally able to breathe freely in a place that's safe and secure, are you going to do that difficult work of self-examination about the role you were led to place on yourself... or are you going to find a whole new one to sink yourself into? Tifa is no longer working herself to the bone trying to keep the party together - instead, her need to always be providing a service means she's doing it for a whole village instead!

Flower's Grave by Tom Waits I feel like the title alone is completely self-explanatory if you're of even passing familiarity with these characters.

Hello Stranger by Julia Holter This is one of my absolute favourite cover songs I've ever heard. She took the melancholic tinge of the original tune turned into this haunting, surreal, Badalamenti-esque dirge and I absolutely love it. For my purposes, I'm using it to represent Tifa and Cloud's first reunion in Midgar. It's beautiful, dreamlike, soothing - but still an illusion.

Hello Earth by Kate Bush This is the song that to me comes closest to capturing the panoramic feeling of choosing to live; it's even more powerful in context and I really recommend checking out the whole Ninth Wave suite if you've never heard it before. And if here the whole planet chose to live, this makes me think of Cloud reflecting on his moment of briefly glimpsing what humanity dissolving collectively into the lifestream would've felt like - the connection he's been seeking and failing to find all his life. I can't believe there wouldn't be at least a trace of residual regret there.

När Gudarna Kalla by Forndom, Anomaly of Silence by Yikii, Wüste by Einstürzende Neubauten, Song of the Sisters by Hans Zimmer Grouping all of these together, and in contrast to the above entry; these are the songs I draw on for trying to map and convey the experience of being linked to the Jenova memory-hivemind, when it's in both congruence and conflict with itself. The simultaneous fear, revulsion, resentment, and allure of it, and what it means for Cloud to again push away a chance at connection and complete understanding for the better of the rest of the world. Finding ways to convey this in words is the height of "Why do I do these things to myself?" so far - but that's what the second draft is for.

Mary Magdalene by FKA Twigs This whole album has been a go-to for getting into Tifa's headspace here. Going back again to her compulsion to always be busy, to be doing something for someone else, whether it's kicking ass or making drinks or building bars or chairing meetings or simply being hot - anything to avoid being alone with her thoughts. Here specifically, she's trying on different roles and archetypes the same way Twigs does in the song. Taking what works for her and what doesn't from each, all well and good, but who is she when no-one's looking?

Poison by HTRK I haven't gotten to the drugged up, bad-idea sex portion of the story yet, but when I do!

Tuck by Katie Gately Truth be told I have no idea what she's talking about here, but I love the imagery and the whole vibe is darkly horny and intense in the exact way I'm looking for.

Country Rain by Slowdive The deepest sense of isolation is found in feeling alone while in company, and I don't have much more to say about this one than that.

Blind by TV on the Radio And this is the opposite. The long, trudging path towards living authentically and vulnerably, and the more genuine connection that can wait for you at the end of it. The mortifying ordeal of being known and the joy of being seen, I suppose.

Earth Day by Devin Townsend Devin's discography is a really inspirational listen if you're going through any kind of recovery process. Over the course of it - and I've only taken in a small sampling so far - you can track a man who found a way to get his shit together, and he did it with a sardonic humour that I find really refreshing when some recovery talk comes off really platitudinous. And that I think really befits the characters in question. What I love here, aside from the focus on falling in love with the every day and mundane, is the mocking edge I hear in the first "Like a child you're born again" - I don't believe a singer so emotive would put that in there without purpose. But by the chorus comes back, I think he's singing it with his whole heart, and that's what I'm always moving towards.

Monstrously Low Tide by Maudlin of the Well This is where my head's largely at these days, and it's also where I'm trying to get these two. I'm looking at everything I've written here and thinking I've bitten off far more than I can chew - not least because I'm omitting or being vague about so much - and wondering how I can possibly bring it all together into something cohesive and true to canon. But that ringing outro. That's why. I've got to try my hardest.

And let's have a few that I apply to the series overall:

Prelude and Final Fantasy by Nobuo Uematsu Got to have some music from the actual game in here. When it comes to my longer and more involved fics I've found these two pieces fantastic for getting my openings and endings down - if I can try to capture the sense of intrigue and rebirth and crossing into a new world that I get from the prelude, and the series main theme's sense of a grand culmination, I feel like I'm on the right track.

A Part of Us by Fever Ray A walnut tree takes a long time to bear fruit. Something like ten years after it's planted, if I remember correctly. It's a song about finding your joy moment to moment where it arrives, even when you know you're building something you may not live to see in full bloom - and not disregarding the danger that's still waiting at the end.

Lotus by Susumu Hirasawa This man's music has been my closest companion in assembling and writing this project, my partner who enables me excepted. It's so cinematic and evocative. This track especially is like the the very distilled essence of "victory" in audial form. It's my anthem for my thirties, because I don't think you could make a sound as jubilant and transcendent as this if you haven't known some pretty major defeats first.

Grandfatherly Wind by Susumu Hirasawa Neo-Junon theme!

Opus (The Fool's Rose Garden) by Susumu Hirasawa Theme for the village! It feels exciting and soothing all at once to me.

Heirloom by Björk and Severed Crossed Fingers by St. Vincent I remember a post going around a while ago about "your" love song, the song that sounds like love to you. These are mine, and I chose them specifically because they're as applicable to platonic love, familial love, and the love of a culture and a community as they are the romantic kind, and I try my best to give equal importance to all of those in my writing.

Storm by Godspeed You! Black Emperor I want to structure my series like this piece. When I hear the opening notes, I think of a sleeper waking up, slowly, opening their eyes and blinking as if they can't believe the world is still here, or in such an unrecognisable state. And it builds into towers falling, statues toppling, all the signifiers of the old world crumbling to dust. We can mourn the parts we'll miss, and the opportunities that could have been, but one by one we'll learn the new way is better for us all.

And after that... well. It was a really beautiful twelve minutes.

Flower From Hell from Higurashi A friend sent me this OP from an anime I haven't seen (yet) ages ago in relation to FFVII, and she's right. This is breaking the cycle, transcending the role, and taking as many other people with you as you possibly can. It's also me and the woman who's been helping me write this, along with so many other things, if you'll allow me a sappy moment.

It's In Our Hands by Björk If I want you to take any one thing from this...

#froze fics #froze tunes #memes

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