#one direction acoustic rock me

[bylerschmyler]

Mike Wheeler's guitar

Ever since someone found the guitar in Mike's room in S4 there is a lot of speculation about what it means. So I decided to make a little post about my thought on this topic.

The guitar in Mike's bedroom is only shown shortly in S4E1.

It seems to be an acoustic guitar but could maybe be a gibson les paul e-guitar or similiar model instead. Because we only see the neck we can't really tell 100% but the acoustic guitar is more likely.

It's actually not the 1st time guitars are mentioned in stranger things. In S3, while El and Max are searching for heather at the pool, there is a guitar lessons poster pinned on the cork board with the lifeguard pictures.

This scene is not directly connected to Mike (as far as we can tell right now) but it is the first time a guitar us brought up visually in the show (as far as I am aware right now).

Mike's bedroom scene isn't the only time a guitar is shown in direct context of his presence.

In S4E4, when the FBI is keeping the cali crew in house arrest and Will is rambling about how they need El and her powers in order to save hawkins and Mike is moping about El letter which she signed "From El", Mike throws the letter in an a bucket. And guess what's behind the bucket. Right a guitar.

Again it is most likely a acoustic guitar.

A very more subtile hint off Mike's connection to guitars and only recognizable if you make a deep dive into the set design of stranger things is another interesting detail from Mike's room in S4. In this post @runninguplenorahills found a cool hidden detail.

It's this cool little trading card:

Yet another visible connection between Mike and guitars. This time it's an electric guitar.

Mike is barely shown to be very music interested. In S1 he says "he sang that weird song he likes" about Will singing "Should I stay or should I go" through the walkie the night they found his body in the quarry. It gives us a contrast between Mike and Will. Will loves Music (thanks to Jonathan) but Mike doesn't seem interested in it. But in S3 he shows us a different version of himself regarding Music.

He sings a long to Corey Harts Never surrender and not only knows the lyrics by heart but gives his own interpretation (with growling at the end). Also see how the subtitles say "Imitates guitar break". Like Mike knows this song really well.

Important to notice here. The song plays off a tape that Mike most likely brought with him so they could listen to it.

There are a lot off headcanons and thoughts about the possibility that Eddie inspired Mike to learn guitar or even be his teacher. But I really doubt that Mike had this kind of relationship with Eddie. While Eddie is obviously an inspiration for Mike in form of looks (Growing out his hair, the clothes he is wearing in S4E1 are very Eddie like) there is no indication that Mike likes the same music. Eddie is a metalhead and the only time Mike is shown to be interested in music he is singing a Pop-Rock song. If Eddie knew he would be most likely laughing about that.

I honestly think that Mike did learn to play the guitar before he met Eddie. We don't see his room in S2 and S3 so he could already been playing for a while.

I don't have proof honestly but one thing made me think. In S4 we see a upright piano in the wheeler's house.

The interesting thing about it are the sheets of music. Why? Well we all know how clean Karen is. She wouldn't let sheets of music on the piano if nobody was using it. So one off the Wheelers was playing quite recently.

Also the piano is shown in a direct pan transition from Max to Chief Powell. We are meant to notice it (while a lot of people possibly didn't).

If someone in the family is playing piano it's not so far off that Mike is playing guitar and since he was a Pop rock enthusiast in S3 he could have been playing already. A typical thing in music lessons is to add current hits/modern music in the rehearsal to give the students interesting stuff to work with.

Important to notice with Mike's guitar is that it's in his bedroom. It's something intimate that possibly his friends don't even know about. He doesn't have it in the basement where he spends most of his time and could show his skills to his friends or have at least a very cool decoration and where he couldn't annoy anyone when he is playing. No he keeps it in his bedroom where his friends very rarely go to. Where he can be by himself and if he would play to loud he would totally annoy his family who want to sleep when he goes up into his bedroom.

What I want to mention too, is that Will's art evolved in S4 in order to show us his feelings for Mike. Mike could parallel this. While Will's art evolved from pencil and crayon to and literal (oil?) painting Mike's art could evolve from campaigns (and letters) to a song he wrote for Will.

A side note I want to give. Finn Wolfhard can play "Should I stay or should I go". While this clip is from late 2017 (after S2) the original is older I think (I found a short from January 2017 - before S2). While yes it's only the beginning and it's everything but smooth I keep thinking about how the duffers said that they had way more ideas for S2 than they could have included. Maybe Mike playing should I stay or should I go was one of them.

I think that was everything for now. If you found anything else that could be in anyway related to this please share with the class.

Thanks for reading <3

[awingedinsect]

-Flood me like Atlantic-

Chapter 1

Word count: 2.9k

Warnings: alcohol use, descriptions of drowning, swearing, sadness, eventual smut, non-con hurt, bondage, blood, let me know if I miss anything the warnings will be updated as we go.This is the first chapter of a series in progress :)

Note: this being the first post of a new blog, I do not expect a lot of traction. But to anyone who does read I hope you enjoy, and have an amazing day!!

The water is filling his lungs.

He scrunches his eyes to fight off the salt already burning deep up his nose, threatening to flood his whole body as he sinks, sinks…

He could swim up, but he doesn’t. He could be scared, but he isn’t. He’s resigned to die. To be buried in the cold, dark ocean, and become one of the many forgotten things that call it their tomb.

He’s sinking, deeper and deeper, feeling his body go stiff as the icy darkness wraps around his limbs.

The last blue light of the surface has abandoned him.

And he can’t be sad, can he? He knows that he chose this, after all. Even if he can’t remember it. Even if the tiniest inkling of regret is creeping up on him with each bit of light lost.

He goes limp, parting his lips to let the water in.

•••

“Hey, kid!”

His eyes flick open, a little gasp leaving his lips as a heavy fist raps on the bathroom door.

“Fucking finish up, you’re on in ten minutes.”

Fuck.

He doesn’t reply, just rubs his temple as the pain in his body registers. He peels his face off of the arm he’s resting on the paper dispenser.

Did he actually fall asleep?

The ache in his legs as he readjusts on the toilet lid tells him he’s been sitting here for way longer than he intended.

He stands up, cursing at the immediate stab of pain in his lower back.

“Kid, you in there?”

“Yeah… yeah!” He scrambles to the sink, prepared for the horror that must be his eyeliner after having his face smashed for the past 20 minutes or so.

It is… not good.

“Hurry up.”

“Okay.”

There’s a single yellow lightbulb dangling in the middle of the ceiling, illuminating what he hopes to god is a poor portrait of himself. His cheeks are hollow, his skin is pale. And not even the copious amounts of black eyeliner dredging his eyes- and now the side of his face -can hide the bags under them. The all-nighter he pulled in preparation for tonight shows, letting each and every one who will look at his illuminated face tonight know just how nervous he’s been for the past few days.

He just prays the other bands don’t get a jab in about it.

He rubs his cheek with the side of his hand, smearing the black off as best he can before swiping his bangs into his eyes to hide the whole mess.

He takes a deep breath.

He looks fine… really. Not like this is his first show. Not like he’s gonna fumble the hell out of it, even after weeks of practice behind closed doors. His fingers itch for the familiarity of the smooth keys on his sleek, black keyboard.

He knows them better than the feel of his own skin.

The second he opens the door he’s swallowed into the noise of the bar. The acoustics in here aren’t bad- he can hear every noise, every voice laughing with the rock music pouring out of old dusty speakers. He blinks hard to adjust to the light as he weaves his way through the crowd, eyeing the low-set stage against the far wall.

His stage.

He mounts it, hunching down besides the legs of the keyboard to look it over, adjusting a few knobs carefully.

“It’s tuned.”

It takes him a few seconds before he realizes that the voice is directed at him. He looks up, thumb swiping anxiously over the rim of the keys.

“Huh?”

“You shouldn’t touch that.” The man says, leaning against one of the concrete pillars to his left. He’s fiddling with the strings of his bass, And remarkably, he’s almost eye-level, even though his shiny doc martens are planted on the floor below. “It’s already tuned.”

He looks about the same age as him. 22, a few years older maybe. But the confidence he exudes is almost enough to convince someone that he’s only in this dive bar for kicks. A hardened veteran, disgusted at a spindly kid getting their eye-liner smudged fingers all over the keys.

“I know.” He says, barely giving the newcomer a glance. “But I’m about to play it. I want my songs to sound the way they always do.”

“Do they always sound like you’ve fucked up the keyboard?” Comes the reply. And oh boy, he’s on in five minutes. This joker needs to let him do his thing, otherwise he’s concerningly close to having a mental breakdown right here.

“No.”

“You oughta write music that works with a properly tuned instrument, Holmes.” The stranger swipes his long fingers through his bangs, dragging the stray beaded strands back to join the tight knot pulling the rest of it out of his angular face.

“S’what I do.”

“And you are?”

“III.”

Two minutes. A small smile creeps to the young musician's lips. “Yeah? Where’s I and II?”

“IV and II are at the bar, smart ass.” III says, stepping closer. His eyes bore down onto the hands now fiddling with the power cord leading into the wall. It’s dragged firmly across the stage to where it ought to be.

“-they’re not shitting their pants over a tiny dive bar gig.”

Now he’s pissed. And yet that anger is manifesting as what feels like tears in the corners of his eyes. If his eyeliner starts running even more, he’s gonna kill this man, and then himself. But before he can say anything the lights dim, and Highway to Hell fades out of the dated speakers.

His heart lurches against his ribs.

The tall stranger actually smiles, stepping back against his pillar. He folds his arms casually over the bass slung across his waist, settling down for the show.

The musician is half-certain he sees a wink from between the long strands of hair once again falling out of that obnoxious man-bun, but he ignores it. He doesn’t have a choice. Because in less than a second, there’s a pale blue spotlight illuminating his hunched shoulders and smudged, sleep-deprived face.

He hears his name announced half-heartedly by the same voice that pulled him out of his impromptu nap a few minutes ago, and a few faces in the spotty crowd turn to eye him expectantly.

Is this… what hell is like?

The mic positioned over the keys suddenly looks like the face of a monster, calling his name with every intention to bite. But he leans into it almost robotically, clearing his throat and hearing the sound bounce against the plaster walls.

“…Hello.” He says, a little too softly. He wonders if he ought to talk more, if they’re expecting him to introduce himself again or ask them if they’re having a good night. Somehow, this is the first time the dilemma has crossed his mind.

Then he settles with the simplest thing that comes to him.

“This song is called Atlantic.”

His shaky fingers start to move over the keys. He taps them lightly, hitting the first one too hard and compensating by barely brushing the next two. But nobody seems to notice, and he takes a deep breath, praying to any gods that can hear him that he gets this right. He knows this song. He wrote this song.

He feels the eyes of the bass player following his icy fingertips, willing them to fail as they glide across the row of white keys. And somehow, it serves to steady them, if out of spite. He steps closer to the instrument, bowing his head and jutting his knee forward as his lips graze the mic.

“Call me when they bury bodies under water…”

The room goes silent. The entire world does, and so does his mind. The notes drift softly from his mouth, falling into air full of listeners for the first time.

“It’s blue light over murder for me…”

His eyes drift close as the music consumes him.

His hands remember, now- they pull the notes out of the ivory delicately and powerfully, lapping at them like waves and stirring them with his voice in perfect cohesion.

This is who he is.

“Crumble like a temple built from future daughters, to wasteland when the oceans recede.”

Eyes are on him, freezing him and orbiting around him. But they can’t get behind his closed eyes, and they can’t tell him he’s playing his own song wrong. The worst they can do is hate it, and well… he tries not to think about that. Hopefully they've all had enough drinks to convince them this slightly awkward performance is a good one.

And hopefully he’ll be able to have enough drinks tonight that no matter what, he’ll have had a good time.

He’s nearing the end of the song, and he notices his hands going harder on the notes. “Don’t wake me up.” There’s a knot in his throat. “Don’t wake me up.”

And then there is silence.

He blinks his eyes open, fighting the shivers in his body as all sense tells him to look at the crowd. But all he can concentrate on is the black smudges on the white keys, and the blue light bathing it in a haze.

After a few seconds, his ears fill with a spattering of applause. One person “wooh!”s, and a few more nod approvingly once his eyes finally peel off his feet.

He feels a tiny smile crawl to his lips.

Then he looks at III.

The man is still leaning on his bass, watching him with dark but almost approving eyes. He doesn’t look ready to pounce on him anymore, though god knows, the great part of his confidence probably lies in how well he’s gonna mop the stage with that meager offering.

The singer looks away, trying his best not to scowl as he nods his thanks to the crowd and returns to playing, this time announcing a song he only wrote a week ago. There might be a little free-styling involved, but he thinks he’s up for it.

And thus his twenty-minute slot drags on. A slow beginning, sour glances from III, then shuffling his feet and nodding his head as he retreats to the darkness behind his eyes and lets his hands take over.

Near the end, he’s almost confident. He finds himself rocking back and forth slowly as the last notes of his final song die out, a few claps once again resounding in the tiny venue. “Thank you,” he whispers, blinking a tear out of his eye.

And then he steps off the stage.

He feels weightless, almost like he’s dreaming. The lights blur in his peripheral like jellyfish and he makes a b-line for the bar, feeling more euphoric and terrified than he’s ever felt in his life. His first show. His first show. And they didn’t boo him off the stage.

He plops down on a stool and rubs his eyes, ordering an old fashioned and hoping it will keep the elation going. Fuck, he’s tired.

Suddenly he’s being attacked. Or at least, slapped on the back so hard it zaps a few hours of energy back into his abused body.

He turns to the person beside him, blinking in confusion before he realizes that this is one of the men III had gestured to before the show. Either II or IV, he doesn’t know. The man is wearing a black t-shirt, two scythes making an ‘X’ dangling on a silver chain around his neck. his bright blue eyes are enthusiastic. “Nice show, man.” He says, taking a swig of his beer. “Loved that little bit in the middle, that depressing solo bit. You’ve got a fucking voice and an ear for those ivories, brilliant stuff.”

“Thank you.” The singer replies, hoping the compliment is genuine and not something a certain fellow bandmate put him up to. He reaches for the drink slid to him across the counter, taking a modest sip. He swirls the cherry in the bottom of the glass.

“Are you on next?” He asks, trying to make eye contact as he takes another sip. “Do you sing?”

“Fuck yeah, and fuck no.” The man giggles. “I’m on drums, see.” He points to the stage and the slightly sad, unassuming drum set in the corner. “Gonna tear it up. Hope you’ll stay.”

He’d like to stay. He loves music. But he’s afraid if he doesn’t get sleep soon, he’ll never make it home conscious. “Thanks, I’ll try.” He says, almost rubbing an eye before remembering the black puddles he’s turned them into. He sighs.

“…Tired.”

“Hey!” A new face says before the drummer can reply. It sounds like the voice of a woman, and is quickly followed by yet another unsolicited hand on his shoulder. He turns around wide-eyed.

“Nice show, kid.” Says a girl yet again no older than himself. Her head is shaved, clean black lips glistening in a smile.

“I’m Venus, the opening act. What’dya think?”

He, of course, had slept through it. But the pretty girl beaming at him can’t possibly know that.

“It was fantastic,” he says, trying his best at a smile. “V-very good.”

Something in her face tells him she might not be entirely convinced. But he’s relieved when she instantly changes the subject, manicured hand squeezing his shoulder playfully as she leans over him to eye the drummer.

“You with the next band?” She asks. Her silver snake bites flash in the neon light above the counter, stirring something in the singer's chest. He folds his hands over the sleeves of his loose sweatshirt, tipping his glass to his lips again and sighing.

The drummer takes a long swig of his own beer, nodding with a smile curling his lips. He pops off and says, “I’m II. And you’ll see me on the drums.” He directs both of their gazes towards the stage with the tip of his bottle, something twinkling in his eye as he says, “there’s III over there, and IV. Best Bass and guitar duo you’ve ever heard.”

Venus laughs, hunching casually against the singer's shoulder in a way that, if he had any more brain cells, would make him blush. He just eyes III over the rim of his glass, watching as he concentrates on tuning his own instrument. He’s talking to a guitarist in plaid pants and a black leather jacket, someone instantly nameable as IV.

“Yeah?“ the girl says. “Where’s I?”

II shrugs, big blue eyes still watching his band mates with a profound fondness; probably due to what was once the contents of the beer bottles stacking up around his elbows.

“Nowhere.” He says smugly. Then he’s swiveling around, hanging on the shoulder of his new extremely sleep-deprived friend and wiggling his fingers up at Venus. “Or maybe it’s you, huh?”

Both of them laugh, and there’s no clear reason as to why. But there’s now two attractive people hanging on either side of the singer, and he wonders how he came so easily to such an inconvenient honor. It’s all he can do to hunch his shoulders and finally take a long swig of his old fashioned, hoping he doesn’t look as terrible as he feels.

Then suddenly, IV appears, dragging II off of his stool without so much as a warning. “Five minutes, hon.” He says, swinging his guitar to the side to pull his bandmate into himself. “Let’s fucking go.”

“Nice talking to ya.” II says, smiling big and knocking his head against IV’s shoulder. “See ya after the show!”

The singer can’t help but smile, waving goodbye slowly before turning his attention to the cherry at the bottom of his glass.

“Come on.” The pretty girl says over the music, breath rustling the hair over his ear. “You look fucking beat baby, come on and hang in the back with the rest of my crew, huh?”

He slowly registers the words. “Oh-“ he looks around for a second, almost like his blurry surroundings might offer an excuse. “Like, in the back of the bar?”

“In the back room, man.” She says, and as she steps back she lands a playful smack on his shoulder. “It’s the place to cool down after a show, and you look like you could use a nap.”

He can’t argue there. Literally, he cannot. He’s about to fall flat on his face and if he doesn’t find some caffeine or sleep soon, there’s no way he’ll make it home safely tonight.

“Alright.” He says, voice already a mile deep from exhaustion. He tries to smile kindly, but his lanky body almost flops off the side of his stool as he stands and he finds himself struggling to stay composed at all. He turns after her, prepared to follow for whatever solace she’s offering. She takes his hand and leads him through the crowd, sparing a glance back at the stage just as the lights dim and the radio fades.

His eyes follow her gaze, watching as the spotlight comes on and lands on three figures on the stage. ll at the drums, beaming, IV swaying softly with his guitar, and III; taking up center stage and swiping his hair out of his eyes.

Venus drags him through some beaded curtains and the crowd gathers around the stage as slowly, they begin to play.

[louisupdates]

ALLMUSIC ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

By Neil Z. Yeung

On his sophomore effort, Faith in the Future, former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson finally seizes his moment, crafting a strong collection of earworms that honors his British musical influences and finds his vision and voice. Steeped in cautious optimism, Faith in the Future is confident without being cocky, its self-assurance born from years of life experiences and personal growth. That energy results in a collection of towering singalongs that are unabashed in their pure emotions, finding strength in resolve and setting sights on the future. While still taking cues from the Britpop era, Tomlinson spruces things up by incorporating contemporary production touches and catchy dance beats, striking an ideal balance between his rock and pop sides that wasn't as apparent on his 2020 debut Walls. This album's most stadium-sized moments tap into his inspirations from the '90s, channeling both the bombast ("The Greatest") and the balladry ("Chicago," "Saturdays") of Oasis and capturing the lighters-up, full-throated earnestness of Robbie Williams, with tracks like the tender acoustic "Common People," the soaring "Angels Fly," and "Bigger Than Me" seemingly ready for the Glastonbury stage. Carrying the set into the 2020s, Tomlinson delivers mainstream-leaning fare with the pulsing bass-groove of "Written All Over Your Face" and the synth-laden "She Is Beauty We Are World Class." Equally as catchy, the shimmering "Lucky Again" and the driving "All This Time" are just two of a handful of highlights that echo the pop-rock breeziness of fellow countrymen Blossoms. Faith in the Future also injects some edge, wrangling the urgency of 2000s emo-rock on "Face the Music" and "Silver Tongues" and bottling the pop-punk-revival ferocity of Yungblud on "Out of My System." Existential realizations, relationship drama, and self-reflection swirl throughout, but Tomlinson accepts the highs and lows of life with unassuming grace, employing these songs as personal reminders for both himself and listeners. While other 1D members might grab more of the public spotlight, Tomlinson proves his strength as a songwriter and voice for fans with more complex, deeper emotions.

[Reviewed 12.12.22. The ALLMUSIC Walls review.]

[sonicmusicmusings]

What's up everyone?

We covered the Riders version already, but this one has a completely different vibe. I do like the Sonic tradition of taking the same song from one game and doing something different for a different, yet related game (i.e. the SA2 image songs).

One thing persists: it's very mid-aughts. But in perhaps a slightly different direction. I love the chord progression, combined with the repetitive guitar line and the stinging string samples make it really catchy. The 7ths in particular on top of that string sample give some great color here. Say what you want about the rap-rock going on, there is definitely a "cool" factor here baked into this song. It's got swagger! There's a lot of space given in the rap sections too, balancing the rhymes and the backing track. Oh, and I think there's a little acoustic padding in the pre-chorus too!

"Catch me if you can, we are born to dream...!"

[miashyperfixations]

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER: THE 5SOS SHOW

04.10.2023 @ AO Arena, Manchester (21,000 Capacity) ⚠️ TW: some flashing lights in video ⚠️

I've wanted to see 5SOS for a while now. As with many artists, I started listening to them properly in the pandemic, having heard several of their songs beforehand. I went back and listened to their whole discography which made me able to see their progression in its entirety, especially their subtle changes to shift genres slightly with each album but still stay true to their roots. The first release I was a fan of the band for was that of their newest album '5SOS5' which saw them venture into the pop-alternative genre but listening back, it's clear that they still pull on their rock influences within certain tracks. 

I bought these tickets back in April, when tickets first went on sale & looked forward to it for a long time. It was my first Arena gig since 2018 & we were up in the lower bowl as close to the stage as you could be from the side, meaning we could see both the stage & the steps the band came onto the stage from. We got there just in time to see the openers. Charlotte Sands (who @artbyamixx is a big fan of) was up first & performed amazingly - I was blown away. The crowd really got into it (as they should've) & we were able to hear an unreleased track as well as her newest songs. The second opener was a pop duo called ar/co who were unexpected but delightful anyway with their psychedelic, electronic pop sounds.

When 5SOS came on, they played songs from every single one of their albums as well as some other singles, which was super fun considering I'd never seen them live before this. Similarly to the whole concept of surprise songs at concerts (introduced by Taylor Swift at the Eras tour), the boys have a dice song. Their huge inflatable dice is thrown into the crowd & they then have 90 seconds to throw it around & get it back on stage. Each side has a song from the band's debut era, songs they don't play anymore, so everyone on there is wanted. I think the crowd wanted 'English love affair', a song wanted by the UK crowds in general but in the end, it landed on 'Voodoo Doll', one of my favourite of the deluxe tracks off the debut album.

Another segment of the show was 'Ashton VS You' where the crowd battled the band's drummer (Ashton Irwin) to see who could be louder - although I think it's kind of cheating cause the sound guys at the back could've just turned up the speakers for all we know. I loved how this incorporated a song off of 'Youngblood' because the drums in it are just *chefs kiss* amazing so hearing them isolated was incredible. Additionally, the band tied the show together with pre-recorded skits that played on the side stage screens which kept the crowd excited & also gave the band a moment's reprieve throughout the show, which was no doubt tiring given how energetic everyone was. A random thing I noticed from our angle of the stage is how both Luke & Michael switched out their guitars for several others throughout the show. I assume Luke was switching between a rhythm & normal electric guitar but Michael switched to an acoustic for 'Amnesia'.

The last time 5SOS played this venue was back in 2015, when they opened for One Direction on the ‘On the road again’ tour. Since this is their last tour for a little while, the night genuinely might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience (although I hope it’s not!) I think everyone there can agree, it was an unbelievable night and I’ll be looking over my videos forever. 

[buckyismybicycle]

Title: Miles Away [READ ON AO3] Pairing: Rockstar Bucky Barnes/Female Reader Rating: Explicit  Tags: Long Distance Relationship, Mutual Pining, Fingering, Love Confessions, Falling in Love Summary: How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be? When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

This is also for @buckybarnesbingo Flash Bingo K: "Kitten"

«« Part 1 | Part 2 | Series Masterlist | Part 4 (TBD) »

Bucky is the drug in your veins, the electricity that runs through your body. You had no idea how you had managed to fall so fast and so hard for someone, but as Bucky heads into the next state and you head in the opposite direction toward home, you realize just how magnetic he was. It took every ounce of willpower to keep yourself from making that U-turn and driving yourself right back into his arms.

Was it perhaps a little obsessive to download everything of his? Every single album, song, and even remix? Maybe. But his voice is the one that you want to wake up to and the one you fall asleep to. It’s his old school rock songs that you wake up to, that hype you up for the day and his post-hardcore songs that get your blood pumping during a run or get your body swaying as you clean your apartment. It’s his acoustic songs that lull you to sleep, his voice softer than it has any right to be, sweet in your ear.

Even though you call, text, and videocall, there’s a piece of you that craves his physical touch, that yearns for the solid warmth of his body to accompany that sultry voice of his.

He finishes his tour, and his next, and then before you could figure out what hit you, your one-night stand turned two-day stand has bloomed into something you weren’t sure you were ready for.

His next tour is in Europe and it feels like he’s gone for ages before he comes back even though it’s only three weeks. You only get to see him once, before he’s swept away again, back into a recording studio so he can keep doing what he loves, and that’s when you realize you miss him.

Then it’s off to Riot Fest in Chicago for a weekend, which isn’t terribly far and yet it feels hundreds of miles away. He’s supposed to be there in two weeks.

The thought makes you a little weak, but you couldn’t let him catch onto anything. He hadn’t asked for anything more and you knew what the life of a rockstar was like. Hell, they wrote songs about it all the time! Sex, drugs, partying, that was the rock and roll way, right?

Though… Bucky had never exactly been like that when you two spent time together. He’d have an occasional drink, maybe a cigarette, and he turned down invites to go clubbing, choosing to instead spend the night with you. Sometimes, you wouldn’t be doing much of anything and you wonder if he ever felt bored just cuddling up on the couch with you, watching a movie, ordering in. It all seemed pretty mundane now that you thought about it.

“Maybe it’s a little straight-forwad o’ me, doll, but I’d love to see you before I go. Maybe… Stay a few nights?”

You didn’t have to think about it, really. “Of course, Buck! You know I love having you here. But… Well, are you sure you wanna spend your limited days here in my tiny apartment?”

There’s a low chuckle on the other end of the line that makes your stomach flutter. “Sweetheart, there’s no place I would rather be.”

You smile a bit, cheeks warming at his words. “You’re always welcome here, Bucky.”

“Alright, well, we gotta wrap a few things up at the studio in a few days and I gotta pack and all that, but I can be down by… Thursday? Is that too soon?”

It wasn’t soon enough, actually. If you could, you’d have Bucky here right now. Instead, you breathe in for a count or two before responding. “Thursday’s great.”

“Lookin’ forward to it, baby.”

♪♪♪

There really isn’t a need for you to be nervous. Maybe, if you had known who he was before seeing him, or if you had anticipated for even a second you’d see him more than once or twice, it would be a different story. Instead, you had thrown caution to the wind, almost certain you’d never see him again. You answered all his questions without holding back, gave up every secret and detail like it was nothing.

Bucky had done the same, though you weren’t sure if it was due to the same reasons or because Bucky was simply an open book. Always boisterous, always open, you didn’t really see Bucky hide much, if you were honest. The things you could find on the internet about him… Jeez.

But you two kept coming together, time and time again, and by then it already felt like you’d known each other your whole lives.

There was no point trying to think about something else — Bucky consumed your thoughts and you happily let him. Humming along to one of his songs, you cleaned up around your place, picked up groceries and threw yourself into work to put all that pent up energy somewhere.

By the time Thursday rolls around, your skin was tingling with anticipation, as if craving his touch. You could even see a slight tremor in your hands as you prepared dinner some time after you received the text from Bucky saying he was on his way. It would still be two hours before he got here, driving from the next state over.

When the buzzer rang in, you had nearly dropped your phone in the pan. Oh god, Bucky was here!

You checked yourself one last time in the hallway, before unlocking the door, leaving it open a crack, and then cleaning the kitchen up quickly.

“Babe?”

Your heart skips a beat as you go toward the shuffling noises by your door. Despite the fact that you see him all the time — whether it be by video, album covers, or music videos — he still takes your breath away.

He’s dressed simply, in black jeans, a plain white t-shirt and a plain zip-up hoodie under his light jacket but you think he looks perfect.

“Bucky,” you greet as you close the distance.

His clothes and skin are still chilled by the outside, and you shiver in his arms a bit.

“Heya doll,” he murmurs into your cheek before he pulls back and looks you over from head to toe, the same way you’d done to him.

Your cheeks get a bit warm at the focused attention.

“God, I fuckin’ missed you,” Bucky says abruptly, tearing his jacket and sweater off in one go, pressing his lips to yours.

You melt into the kiss, hands coming to cup his face, hands warming his cheeks as he steps out of his shoes and crowds you up against the wall.

“Missed you t — ah!” You don’t get to finish your sentence as Bucky nips at your neck.

“S’that right?” Bucky asks voice gruff and teasing in your ear.

You nod frantically, hands scrabbling at his shoulders while he presses his entire body against yours. Goosebumps form across your skin when he gets his hands under your shirt, partially from the fact he’d just come outside but mostly because you’ve been dreaming of his touch ever since you last saw him.

“Bucky,” you gasp against his mouth.

“Oh fuck, yeah,” Bucky groans, running out of patience and scooping you up by the back of your legs. “Love when you say my name, baby.”

Your legs automatically wrap around his waist, your hands running through his soft chestnut hair and wrapping around the back of his neck. He doesn’t seem to be in any rush whatsoever, his tongue slow but firm across yours as you both pant for air, hot breath across your cheeks with every struggling exhale.

“Bucky,” you say again, this time breathless, as you squeeze your legs around him.

“Mmm? Can I help you with something, kitten?”

You can’t help the sharp inhale of breath, your heartrate picking up speed as he pins you with his intense gaze.

You’re already feeling dizzy, words getting harder to formulate so you try to answer with your mouth and body. Tugging at his hair and pressing back against him, you hope it conveys exactly what it is you want — and just how badly you want it.

“Missed me that much, huh?” He asks with a chuckle, finally carrying you to the bedroom.

You nod frantically. “God, yes, yes, missed you so much.”

He laughs and you can’t help but return it, the both of you fumbling your clothes off in a hurry, limbs getting caught as you try to tear the fabric off of each other.

When he lowers you into bed, your entire body is heaving with anticipation as you dig your fingers into him, refusing to let him go.

Bucky kisses down your neck softly, slowly like he hasn’t a care in the world while you were a squirming mess underneath him. You feel goosebumps forming as he breathes out hotly along the trail his tongue leaves behind. It feels like he’s mapping out every spot that makes you howl and filing it away for later, smirking as he breaks you down bit by bit.

“Fuck, Bucky!” You wail, curling his fingers into fists along his shoulder.

“Yes, kitten?”

Oh, you could just kill him right now! He knows exactly what he’s doing, of course, and you know that. You know that he’s purposely teasing you without giving you much, knows that he’s practically purring in your ear, all the sweet nothings and pet names to get you riled up.

“How’m I supposed to know what you wan’ if you can’t even tell me, sugar?” He continues, fingers finally entering you, the slick making it so, so easy. “Jesus, sweetheart, already so wet for me and I only jus’ started.”

You clench around him in every sense of the word — pussy clamping down around his fingers, legs locked tight around his waist.

“Aw, sweetheart, y’gonna come already?” Bucky asks, fingers slowly curling inside of you while his thumb runs over your clit from left to right slowly. “I haven’t even put my mouth on you…”

You let out a loud whine, our hands tugging at Bucky’s hair hard enough that you’re sure it must hurt but he doesn’t give any indication of it. “Bucky, please, I c-can’t —”

The rest of it gets lost in a moan that gives away the fact that you’re right there.

“Can’t what, princess?” Bucky mocks. “Can’t even speak, can you?”

You can’t bring yourself to care even the slightest bit about Bucky’s goading, the feeling overwhelming your entire body as you dig in while you come hard enough that you could swear you blacked out for a moment.

It’s like being underwater, the sounds muffled in your ears — Bucky’s chuckle, drowned out by your fevered panting, your heartbeat.

“Nnnnggggg,” you groan, limbs heavy and uncoordinated as you essentially become one with the mattress.

Bucky’s smug face looks up at you while he kisses below your belly button as your stomach and chest still heave for air. “You okay there, doll?”

“Oh, fuck you,” you huff out, laughing along with Bucky as he crawls back up to kiss you.

“Mmm,” Bucky murmurs between your lips meeting.”Wanna fuck you.”

Even if you had just come, it’s like Bucky’s words ignite your body all over again. You smile dopily at him, hands cradling his face and running your thumbs along his stubble. “Yeah? Well what’re you waiting for?”

Bucky’s responding grin sends shivers down your spine again. Settling in, hauling your hips up until your ass rested on the top of his thighs, he licks his lips like a panther with its prey.

  ♪♪♪

You wake before Bucky does, your body pleasantly sore and still tired. With a small wiggle, you settle back into his arms, taking the time to just enjoy the moment and memorizing it. You let him sleep a bit longer, knowing he has a long night ahead, though it’s not like you could pull yourself away if you wanted. There was only an hour left with him, so you had to make the most of it and look over every detail in front of you.

It was so easy to imagine that this was your actual life — waking up beside this beautiful man, sharing more than just your bed with him. Your home. Your heart.

You trace a light finger along that sharp jawline and Bucky inhales deeply as he rouses.

“Mornin’, beautiful,” he mumbles, eyes slowly blinking open.

“Good morning,” you whisper,. “It’s almost 10:00.”

“M’gonna miss you, dollface,” Bucky whispers, voice raspy with sleep and — well, maybe it was more than just sleep.

“Pfft, yeah right,” you tease. “Girls are gonna fling themselves at your feet and you’ll have your pick of any one of ‘em.”

You had tried to keep the tone light — joking — but it obviously doesn’t quite work.

Bucky gets a little furrow between his eyebrows as he props himself up on an elbow to look down at you, searching your face for something. “Is that actually what you’re thinkin’?”

You opened your mouth to respond but nothing came out. It was the truth, but you hadn’t planned on sounding so pathetic. Sighing, you tuck the covers under your chin as you look up at him. God, you’d miss this face — the stunning eyes, that little dimple in his chin, the way his hair looks when your fingers have been running through it, gripping it, pulling it.

“Bucky… I knew when you first kissed me that you wouldn’t be staying.” God, it even hurts just to say it out loud. “You’re — you’re literally famous. You’re a rockstar! I’m —”

“— mine,” he finishes, interrupting you. “You’re mine.”

You bite your tongue, because he’s about to hit the road and you don’t want your last moments with him to be about this. About the way your stomach flutters when he says that you’re his so adamantly, like he doesn’t say it to the other girls you’re sure he’s picking up along the tours.

“Hey, c’mon,” Bucky coaxes, a gentle finger crooked under your chin to make you face him. His brows are furrowed as he looks at you. “What are you goin’ on about, huh?”

It’s painful to even think about it — letting yourself believe that maybe this meant as much to him as it meant to you, but it was impossible, wasn’t it?

“Nothing,” you lie. “I just miss you sometimes, that’s all.”

He snorts with a short laugh. “Babe, I miss you all the time.”

Looking you in the eyes, he props himself up on elbow, his other hand stroking your jaw lightly. “You know, I never thought I’d hate touring but sometimes… I just wish I could stay here instead.”

“Oh my god, don’t say that!” You admonish, a strange feeling working its way up your throat. “You’ve said it yourself, you were born for this! Bucky, you really, really are so talented. You were made for this. I still remember seeing you on stage for the first time, I’ll never forget it. I felt so alive, Bucky. Better than I had in ages. I felt free — like I was flying and… Everyone out there should experience that, too. They need to.”

“I ever mention how fuckin’ incredible you are?” Bucky asks, his eyes a bright, shining blue. It’s not often that you’re the one making him bashful, but it feels damn good. It’s not like you had even tried to, you had simply been telling him the truth. “I — you know I’m just a phone call away, right?”

“I know.” You try smiling for his benefit before pulling him in for a kiss that hopefully distracts him.

Whatever Bucky might’ve said gets lost as he tangles his fingers in your hair again, bringing you close to him. It turns from a leisurely kiss into something more frantic, like you both know that there’s an impending deadline. Needless to say, your distraction works.

In fact, it works a little too well. He shoves his feet into his boots, phone wedged between his ear and shoulder as he tries to explain to Natasha that he’ll be right there and no, of course he’s not going to be late.

You try to hide a giggle as he throws the last of his things haphazardly in his bag and hangs up.

When it comes time to your goodbyes, you hug each other tightly. Bucky smells like you, like your sheets and your shampoo, he even smells like your lotion with how much time you’ve spent pressed up against him.

God, is it ever difficult for you to let him go. Something must show on your face because as Bucky’s about to say goodbye, his face falls for a second.

“Sweetheart —”

“No! No, it’s okay,” you rush to reassure him. “Really, baby, I’ll be fine. It’s nothing.”

You can see he’s not entirely convinced, but it’s enough that he relents and gives you a long, sweet goodbye kiss.

“See you when I get back?”

You nod without thinking. “Yeah, of course.”

♪♪♪

“What’s wrong with your face?” Nat asks him the moment he scrambles onto their bus and throws his bag on his bunk.

“Fuck you, my face is perfectly fine,” he shoots back, though there’s no real heat to it.

“Ooooooh,” she taunts with a wicked grin. “Someone’s in loooooooove.”

“N — shut up!”

He’s clearly outnumbered when Clint laughs from the small couch and Scott howls from the bathroom of all places. What the fuck is his life.

Natasha takes some pity on him, at least. Because she leans in close before she whispers to him with a wink. “That’s not a no.”

He hates the way she catches onto everything. It’s true, though, it’s not a no. Truthfully, Bucky’s not really sure what love is. Despite singing an inordinate amount of love songs, he’s never felt it as deep in his bones as he does now. All the songs from their albums were different now — all the lyrics that spoke of love, the lyrics that Bucky never thought he would connect to like the rest, they made sense now.

He takes out his worn, trusted and beloved journal, and puts pen to paper, his thoughts flowing out of him like a tsunami. His words fill up the blank spaces between his various other scribbles and doodles.

♪♪♪

You lay on your couch, Netflix playing at a low volume as you try to unwind from the day. Besides immediately taking off your work clothes and microwaving some dinner to settle in, you hadn’t done much else. Except miss Bucky, of course, which made you feel so pathetic. God, it’s only been a day.

When your phone goes off, you get a thrill of excitement before you realize that there’s no way it could be Bucky, he’d be performing any minute now. The name that pops up surprises you nonetheless, and you pick it up wondering if it was good news or bad news.

“Peter?”

“Oh, hi! Um, Bucky wanted me to call you and — are you busy right now?”

You stared at the TV playing nonsense you weren’t even paying any attention to. “No, I’m not busy, just — is everything okay?”

“Uh-huh, yeah! Great. They’re technically done but they’re doing one more encore song and it’s gonna be real special. He wanted you to watch! Can I FaceTime you?”

“Yes! Of course!” You didn’t do a good job of hiding how enthusiastic you were about the fact that you could see Bucky again so soon.

“Okay, hang on —”

The moment you accept his videocall request, you gasp. The crowd in front of Bucky’s stage was huge! You were so happy for him — for the whole band, really. They deserved to be heard and recognized.

There was Bucky, front and centre stage like usual. Except this time, the rest of the band wasn’t with him.

“Can you see okay?”

You giggle at Peter’s concerned, faraway voice and holler back at him. “Yep, I’m good!”

“Tonight I’m doin’ somethin’ a lil different,” Bucky says into the microphone as he adjusts the strap of his acoustic guitar over his shoulder. “It’s been a while since I brought out ol’ Betsy for you guys, huh?”

The crowd gives a laugh as Bucky tunes “Betsy” expertly, pulling the microphone closer to him. “You better feel lucky, ‘cause you’re gonna be the first ones to hear this. Are you ready?”

The cheer from the crowd is nearly a screech, whistles and catcalls mixed in.

A new song? How exciting! You wonder if this is why Bucky wanted you to be on the call, and smiled at how sweet that was.

“This one’s for a special angel of mine,” Bucky declares before he strums away, the opening notes slow but sure.

Special angel — no, it can’t be…

I pack my bags and say goodbye to my divine

For what seems like the millionth time

They said it gets easier, but they lied

She looks at me and says "Really baby, I will be just fine"

But then she looks away, so I don't have to see her cry

And that is when I ask myself

You freeze, hearing the exact words you’d said to him that morning. There couldn’t be a coincidence — Peter had very specifically called you, which meant that this was for you. That you were “angel” that Bucky was dedicating this song to.

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

She needs me, but I know they need me too

So God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do.

Well really I'm so thankful for the people I meet, the places I've been and the things I've seen

But when she's not here it doesn't feel like I'm living my dreams

I know they say that no one is perfect, but I swear she's perfect for me

And that makes it so much harder to leave

You’ve already started crying from the indescribable feeling that washes over you. Perfect for me — Bucky had just said that! You were in disbelief, and despite how sad the song sounded, it was also breathtakingly beautiful, just like everything else Bucky does.

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

She needs me, but I know they need me too

So God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do

People say things like “music saved my life” or “music is my escape” and you always thought you understood what they meant. You enjoyed music too and almost always had some playing in the background no matter what you were doing.

You were so very wrong. This feeling, this sizzling, bubbling, tingling sensation that you can feel from head to toe is what it means to truly be moved by music. Like arrows, each one of Bucky’s words drive straight through your heart, sharp and unrelenting. You have to cover your mouth to stop yourself from making too much noise, desperate to hear the rest of the song.

If you miss me, I'm just a phone call away

Please be strong, be strong for me

I need you to show me how to change the inside of me

For my heart, for their sake, please be strong, be strong for me

Everything was blurry by now, the tears trickling down your cheeks as you hear his words — and yours — being played for hundreds of people live.

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, so alone

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

She needs me, but I know they need me too

So God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do.

You couldn’t believe it was over. The shock and the overwhelming feeling that you can’t quite place literally make you freeze in your spot, biting down on your lip to try and hold it together.

“And that’s all she wrote, folks! Well. That’s all I wrote, anyway. GOOD-FUCKING-NIGHT E’ERYBODYYYYY! WE LOVE YOU”

Love. The word sends a jolt through you as it all falls into place for you. You loved him and you just couldn’t admit it to yourself but it’s oh so clear to you now.

The applause was like lightning, cheers and howls mixed in as Bucky exited the stage, and the moment you could no longer see him, the first sob escapes you. There’s a shuffling noise, reminding you that you were still on a call with Peter and not up in the clouds where Bucky makes you feel like you are.

“Are you —”

“Hey, Peter, I gotta go!” You blurt out frantically. “Will you tell Bucky to call me later please?”

“Oh! Um, yeah, sure I can do that.”

“Thanks Peter,” you rush. “Goodnight!”

You only feel a little bad for hanging up on him, but you’d just have to apologize next time. Right now? Right now you had to bawl your eyes out at the fact that Bucky wrote a song for you. And not just a song for you, but a song about you, where he called you “his divine” and “his heart”.

All this time, you let your fears and insecurities get in the way, so convinced that Bucky wasn’t looking for anything more than an easy hook-up. How could you have been so blind?

You don’t know how long it is after the set is done before your phone rings again, and this time it’s Bucky’s name that flashes across your phone.

“Bucky, what the HELL!” You yell as soon as you hear the call connect, not even giving him a chance to say hello.

“Hi to you too, dollface.”

You can hear the smirk on the other end. “I can’t believe you!”

“Can’t believe what, babe? That I wrote a song for you? I always said I was gonna didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but —”

It’s true. He had always said that, but you hadn’t taken it seriously for even a second. “But I didn’t expect that!”

“Did you like it?”

“I loved it,” you tell him earnestly, voice cracking a bit as you get emotional all over again. “I loved it so much. I —”

You had almost let it slip right then and there. Heart pounding, you have to physically swallow the words down.

“Good,” Bucky says, nonchalant as if you weren’t on the cusp of a love confession. “I practically wrote it non-stop on my way here from your place. Wasn’t sure if it’d be any good to be honest with ya, only sang it once on the bus for the troops and they like fuckin’ with me. You promise you actually liked it and you’re not tryna make me feel better? ‘Cause y’know, I can always rework it and —”

“I love you,” you interrupt. It was just too much to handle, how endearing it all was that Bucky not only wrote this ode to you but he was even worried if you liked it, which was such a silly thought because you loved everything Bucky did.

“... You do?” Bucky asks, sounding adorably confused.

You grimace at yourself — what the hell ere you doing! “Sorry, sorry. I just — I don’t know I had to say it, Buck. That song was…. I’m —”

It was his turn to cut you off now, saving you from further rambling and embarrassment.

“I love you, too.”

You smile so wide that your cheeks hurt. Between the two of you and your newfound words for each other, you happily chat as you both get ready for the night. So absorbed in your conversation, both of you miss the social media storm until it’s far too late.

Thank you to @rookthorne as always for your support, encouragement and second set of eyes. This series exists because of you, sweetheart! 💕

[theshowliveontour]

Niall Horan‘s inaugural Melbourne show on The Show tour at Rod Laver Arena marked a monumental milestone in his solo career journey. Having risen from his One Direction roots, Niall has solidified himself as a formidable solo artist with three studio albums to his name, amassing a dedicated and loyal fanbase.

This concert, selling out two nights at Melbourne’s iconic venue, Rod Laver Arena, was not just a musical event but a testament to Niall’s connection with Melbourne, a city he considers a second home. The diverse demographic, comprising seasoned Directioners and newer enthusiasts who may not have witnessed the band’s glory days, contributed to an atmosphere charged with excitement and anticipation. As someone who still has a strong case of One Direction Infection, missing this show was out of the question.

British singer-songwriter Birdy opened the night, creating an incredible pairing with her timeless talent. I’ve been a fan of Birdy since her 2011 cover of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” went viral when she was just fourteen years old. Her elegant stage presence and brief yet sweet set, although mostly covers including her breakout hit “Skinny Love,” were still a beautiful addition to the evening.

The pre-concert setlist set the perfect vibe, getting the crowd hyped for the main event. The energy was infectious, with everyone radiating joy and happiness. The stage design, featuring old-fashioned curtains and retro graphics in line with his album The Show, added a nostalgic touch to the experience. Niall’s entrance with the hit single “Nice To Meet Ya” was very fitting, and had the crowd moving and grooving.

Seeing Niall take the stage at a venue where I once stood front row during One Direction’s prime was incredibly special. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude for his Melbourne fans, emphasising the city’s significance to him. Having briefly lived in Melbourne post-One Direction’s breakup in 2015, and frequently visiting for extended periods due to family ties, he shared a candid moment saying, “I’ve seen many an Aus Open Grand Final in this very arena – just over there.” He admitted to feeling nervous before the show, attributing it to a sense of homecoming. Reflecting on his boyband days, he briefly mentioned, “Ah, the memories we’ve had in this city, the shows we played, the stadiums we filled…” That moment struck an emotional chord with me, to say the least!

Niall’s band were stellar, and brought a unique folky rock element to the night, especially shining during the acoustic set with “Put A Little Love On Me” and “This Town.”

“You Could Start A Cult” saw Niall take to the stage alone with his guitar- a truly raw and lovely moment. Noticing that a fan needed medical attention, he stopped the show and ensured they got help. When it was safe to do so, he restarted the song and the magic was still there- a testament to the incredible performer he is.

It is well-known that each former One Direction member usually sings one or two One Direction tracks. With the hit single “Night Changes” on his setlist for this tour, fans were shocked and over the moon when the familiar sound of the deep cut “Stockholm Syndrome” started instead. For a moment, I forgot what year it was and fully embraced my sixteen year-old self. He absolutely did the track justice, and Melbourne was treated to a really beautiful moment!

He also treated the Melbourne audience to “Paper Houses” a fan-favourite from his debut solo album, and the first time playing it live in Australia on this tour.

After engaging with fans, reading signs, and even accepting gifts, Niall returned for an electrifying encore. “Save My Life” and the hit single “Slow Hands” wrapped up the night on a high note, leaving everyone buzzing with excitement and euphoria.

The Show was a perfect blend of nostalgia, musical brilliance, and Niall’s genuine appreciation for his fans. His vocals were outstanding, stage presence was infectious and his band was next-level. Whether you’re a longtime Directioner or a new fan of Horan’s solo hits, there’s a little something for everyone at The Show.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)

Niall’s latest album, The Show, is out now through Capitol Records.

[lemonthepotato]

Songs I associate with each Enneagram type (but I’m bad at typing):

One:

I don’t think I can say this

Carnivore - STARSET

Finders Keepers - Riproducer

World So Cold - 12 Stones

Alright, you ones have been getting too many unironic entries. Time for mockery.

World Around Me - Escape The Fate

Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing - Set It Off (Accidentally chose the acoustic version) (me momen)

Rock Bottom - Grandson

Molly - MSI

Oh No! - MARINA (I know I’m shit at typing but how is ‘Don’t need money, don’t need fame’ 3?? PDB is wilding)

Sorry if I put this elsewhere, but Hope Of Morning by Icon For Hire. I originally took this as a 5, 6 or 9 song when analysing it, but I had an epiphany; it’s 1 coded. Let me explain. (“My mind’s a kaleidoscope, it thinks too fast, blurs all the colours til I can’t see past, last mistake, the choice I made, staring in the mirror with only myself to blame.” Black and white thinking, self-hatred. “Sometimes I’m afraid of the thoughts inside, nowhere to hide inside my mind. I’m scared that you’ll compare and I’ll look like a lifetime past repair.” High standards, worries about being a bad person. “Self-disgust and selfishness tend to hold me awfully close, but I don’t want my friends to see that, I don’t want my friends to know.”) (I’m on the fence about this typing) (I feel like I might be trying to type every song I can, which isn’t how this works. While I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin seems 853ish to me, like, I don’t associate it strongly with 8, so it doesn’t belong in this list. Same with a lot of other songs.)

Two:

Where Has Everyone Gone? - James Marriott

It Should’ve Been Me - Riproducer (“But I’m unsure of my intent. Surely my fragile hospitality would shatter under the stress.”)

Painkiller - Three Days Grace (I know it’s a fucking metaphor, before any smartahs try to correct me.)

You know I have so few 2 songs when I have to resort to Helluva Boss fansongs that are maybe semi-official now

UwU Song - Rikutzu (Idk I don’t have any 2sungs)

This song is sx2 core. (UM HELP??? I put the wrong song here, but I have no idea what the one I meant to put here was. THIS IS SUCH A FUNNY MISTAKE THO)

Sticks and Stones - The Pierces (sx2) (“I’m the one you want.” “But you get scared when we’re alone, like I might suck your blood.” “Love me more than anyone.” “Can’t undo my spell on you.”)

Jericho - Celldweller (this is such a so2 song, and let me explain!) (“self-importance amplified.” “you’re looking down, and feeling so profound. you’re so impressed by your false humility.” “an unhappy ending to your sense of deity.” “you’re so oblivious to your own frailty.” “an unhappy ending to the life you’ve glorified”)

Three:

Witness - Mindless Self Indulgence (relate as a disintegrated 6 tbh)

Copycat - Circus P (“I say everything you like to hear… I can’t remember who I am… I’ve become what you like”)

Why Not Me? - Set It Off

Good Enough - atsuover (“Why would I continue being me, when better people are all I see?… put on your mask and get up on your on your way, they love you anyway”) (suppose this could also be 1)

Scary World - Night Club (ooo3 ooo3 ooo3) (edit: not sure if I’d type this as a 3 or 4 song?)

You’re Dead - Norma Tanega (“Plan all your moves in advance.” “There’s too much work to be done.” “Don’t ever talk with your eyes, be sure that you compromise.” “You’ve sold out your dream to the world.”)

Theatre - Icon For Hire (“I’m getting pretty good at feeding them the lines they like, but I don’t recognise the girl that I see each night.”) (6 fix btw) (I’m just using this as an excuse because I keep neglecting the 3’s)

EVERYTHING - LuluYam (“I wanna be everybody’s dream.” “I want to be everything.” “A king, a lord, an emperor, a god. A fake, a fraud, a phony, oh my god. Don’t crack through my facade. Don’t crack through my facade!)

Fake it - Seether (“Who’s to know if your soul will fade at all? The one that you sold to fool the world.”) (“Fake it if you’re out of direction, fake it if you don’t belong here. Fake it if you feel like infection.”)

Pretty For You - Baby Bugs (okay, this could be 2 or 9 too, but it’s kinda sx3 for me, imo)

Ghost rule - DECO27 (Not putting lyrics up, I don’t speak Japanese and am relying on rough translations)

Insecurity - Girls Love Shoes (This song is SOOOO 3 core) (“What are they thinking of me?” “I just want to stand out, I just want to fit in” > w4.)

Four:

Happy Hurts - Icon For Hire (“Can we let the pain and happy mix?… If I had to pick between the way that I am, and the way that everyone else seems to pretend, I wouldn’t question it, not even for a second”)

Identity - Grandson

Skeleton - Set It Off

Get Well II - Icon For Hire

Sugar And Spice - Icon For Hire (“Wouldn’t you rather be broken than boring too?” Seriously, such a 4 song.)

Feel Better - Penelope Scott (“I don’t wanna feel better, no one’s ever gonna love me like that again… I don’t wanna get over it, I wanna get under it instead.”)

Pyrite Girl - Riproducer

Hurt - Get Scared (“How do you think I’m alright? And I like the way you hurt inside.”)

I Can Only Be Me - Mars Argo (“Try to take my identity, and I’ll just create a new one.”)

Only Be A Story - Icon For Hire (core fear)

4w5 moment (no I’ve never played Touhou)

Iodine - Icon For Hire (“I think I’m just in love with the feeling” “Crazy is I believe the medical term, for when we wanna recover, but don’t wanna learn.” “I say I wanna be happy, but I quickly forget. Will I sabotage all the good I’ve got left? Depression’s like a big fur coat, it’s made of dead things, but it keeps me warm.”) (9 fix btw)

4w3!!

Won’t Forget - Dabu

Pretend You Love Me - Baby Bugs (“And sometimes I wonder if I didn’t hurt so bad, would I be more lovable to my mom and my dad? And if I went back in time to see six year old me, I’d say this shit does not get better, this is who you’re meant to be and I’m a monster, so you say, and I do this on purpose anyway. I need to feel this pain.”)

Devastation And Reform - Relient K (Disintegration to 1) (“I feel like I was born, for devastation and reform. Destroy everything I love and the worst part is, I pull my heart out, reconstruct, but in the end it’s nothing but a shell of what I had when I first started.” “But they’re’d be no story, without all this dissension. So I inflict the conflict, with the utmost of attention.”)

L’assasymphonie (from MLOR) (For the same reason as Ghost Rule, I won’t put the lyrics up)

The Abandoned Castle Of My Soul - The Gothic Archie’s. Do I need to explain this? Lol

Pain - Three Days Grace.

Five:

Lateralus - TOOL (“Overthinking, overanalysing, separates the body from the mind.”)

Dream Your Dream - TryHardNinja (Ok look, I know there’s a type probably more suited for this song but I’ve been neglecting the fives.)

The Sun, The Moon, The Stars - Aether Realm (I have no justification for this)

Echo - CrusherP

Anonymous - Three Days Grace

Jail Time - Chloe Adams (“Jail time, living in my head.” 5w4 core.)

Hounds - Puma Blue

The Fool - Aether Realm (no idea what this songs actually meant to say but considering it’s called ‘the fool’ referring to the fools journey and mentions knowledge like 2ce it’s 5core.)

The Grudge - TOOL

Am I Supposed To Apologise? - Maria Mena (“I sought understanding clarity and truth, by baring all the wounds inflicted on my youth.” Literally 5w4. Maybe 4w5. In case it isn’t obvious, I’m pretty bad at typing songs.)

Can’t Get Out - Dabu

5 with a 4 fix. Yeah I didn’t say all these entries would be serious.

Breakdown - Lacuna Coil (“Shutting myself off, getting numb inside.” “I can’t stand the noise outside.” “Even if you think I’m fine, I’m still damaged, I stay out of sight.”)

Mind Is A Prison - Alec Benjamin (I’m at the 100 link limit) (“Sometimes I think too much.” “I’m always stuck in my head.” “Guess my mind is a prison, and I’m never gonna get out.”)

Everybody’s Watching Me - The Neighbourhood (“Uh, oh, where can I go? Everybody’s watching me.” “I go through all the trouble of keeping it within my walls. I try to be as subtle as I can. Assume that nothing needs me, all I’ve done defeats me.”)

Feels Like A Wish - Station K (sx5) (“You made my dreams come true.” “Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, from my mind. How can I escape, from this irresistible place?”)

Six:

Nightmare - Set It Off (“And all I know is that I don’t feel safe… but am I losing my mind?”)

Curse Or Cure - Icon For Hire (“Oh I swear my emotions are the enemy… I’m afraid I can’t trust myself, don’t leave me alone”)

Killer In The Mirro - Set It Off (“Never let your guard down… cause I know if you could switch this, you’d be dishing out the same shit… now I know, there’s no one I can trust.”)

I’m Made Of Wax Larry, What Are You Made Of? - A Day To Remember (“Everybody’s out to get me”; yep that’s my entire justification)

Misguided Ghosts - Paramore (“See I’m tryna find my place, and it might not be here where I feel safe… would someone care to classify our broken hearts and twisted minds so I can find someone to rely on, and run to them?”

Fear And Loathing - MARINA (Congratulations, if you’ve ever put this song in your vent playlist, you’re a 6 or 6 fix. :))

Culling Voices - TOOL (“Disembodied voices deepen my suspicious tendencies. Conversations we’ve never had; imagined interplay… heated altercations we never had, yet I’m guided by them all…. misleading me over and over. Judge, condemn and banish anyone and everyone, without evidence, only the whispers from within.” E6 blueprint.

Hearts A Mess - Gotye (6 blueprint. Actually 5 too.)

Beneath Me - Lucid Planet

JUST FORGET THIS IS A Y’KNOW SONG PLZ

I was gonna type this as 1, initially, but it’s more 6core

Paranoia - A Day To Remember (it’s literally called paranoia like-)

The World Is A Very Scary Place - The Gothic Archie’s (this could also be 5)

Diseased - Baby Bugs (4 fix go brrrr haha)

In Between - James Marriott (“It’s out of the question, it’s over the line, to not be phased, to just be fine.” “How nice it sounds to have your guard down and nothing in between.”) (694 tritype because this is the most 9-ish 6 song ever.)

Pretend - Ursa Major (“My mother said don’t feed the strays, they’ll break your heart and run away.” “What if I second guess again? And listen to the worries in my head?” “You promised me you wouldn’t leave, and boy was I naive, I should’ve never let you in my yard.”)

A sp6 and an unhealthy so2 walk into a bar.

Wired For Worthless - Citizen Soldier (“Pull you in, push you away.” “A brain built by every memory, of times I was not enough to make the ones I love wanna stay.” “Love is a lie, hope is a hole, trust is the trap that took my soul. Family is fake, hatred is home, getting abandoned is all I know.” “A brain built by every memory of times I was vulnerable in vain, which just proved that I’m never worth the pain.)

Dizzy Paranoia Girl - VocaloKAT (so613) (“Expectations high from the start, I’ll just mess it up. Congratulations, you fell apart, f- I messed it up.” “Thoughts racing up and down, oh what to do now? Follow protocol.” “Panic all around, but never make a sound.”) (lol when this song came out I kinda forgot it cuz I couldn’t make the lyrics out, until today when I remembered it existed)

Seven:

Killing Harmony - Mcki Robyn’s P (I first listened to this song with no context. If you try to do the same, you’ll understand.)

Sugar Crash - ElyOtto

Using You - Mars Argo (ok some people are saying this is a 2 mistype and maybe but idk it gives 7 vibes.)

Ruin My Life - Hollywood Undead (I love stereotyping)

We Are One - 12 Stones

Borderline - Toke Styrke

Happy Pills - Weathers (Come on. I’m allowed to stereotype a little.)

7w8 731 moment

Weak And Powerless - A Perfect Circle (I’m not trying to stereotype, I’m just saying this song captures the ego-structure of an E7 trying to escape their shame over addiction through more addiction.) (You might say E8, however, the whole coping mechanism of E8 is denial. I don’t think an E8 would identify with being weak or oppressed, but that’s a generalisation)

Anytime You Smile - JT Music (We Happy Few is 7 coded anyway lol) (“A little rain and clouds will never bring me down.” “I know we’ll get through it.” “Believe me, if I’m dreaming, I wanna keep on sleeping.” “I don’t quite like myself when my head’s not in the clouds.”) (I unironically love this song tho and idk why, cuz it’s the type of song I would hate regularly lol. Maybe it’s the fact it’s… not ironic? Tongue-in-cheek? You’ll understand my point if you know the plot of WHF.)

No One Can Tell Me - Girls Love Shoes (I originally read this as an 8 song, but I see this as a clear 7 song)

Eight:

Loose Cannon - Set It Off (Yeah this is almost entirely stereotypes. Don’t really care though.)

I Didn’t Ask For This - Beth Crowley (I wanted to type this as counter 6 but I knew I’d just be bias cuz I’m a… probable SX6.) (I don’t believe in subtypes anymore) (no I won’t elaborate lol)

Catch Me If You Can - Set It Off

Power & Control - MARINA (except maybe the line about vulnerability but PDB thinks so so it must be right! Man, I love having outside unreliable sources confirm my beliefs! Call me Fox News.)

Discord - Eurobeat Brony (fear being controlled) (8w9 ish due to wanting peace) (an excuse for me to tell you the ORIGINAL song is better.)

White Rabbit - Egypt Central (“I will not be used.” “It’s the reason I chose to cut my losses. Your lies fool no one.” “We’re falling and we’re losing control.” “I won’t be pushed aside, I will be heard. I will get what I want, what I deserve.)

SAHARA - Ivycomb (“Lost in this desert and I’m looking for freedom.” “On my own, I’ll make it.” “I’ll take it by fighting the coldness inside.” “There’s no one to call my friend, but the burden’s feeling lighter without their things.” “But I quickly take my leave and I refuse the aid.” “No one can hurt me if I’m walking all alone. They can’t desert me if I’ve already turned to stone.”)

K All The Enemies - Mario Judah. (“Bring the rage. I will not let you control me, I will not let you betray me.” “Ignite the fire in me, I will not furthermore be controlled.”) (also, 6 fix.)

FACE IT - NOTHING MORE (“Shed this doubt, stand your ground.” “A man is born, and the boy has died, face it.” “You’ll never get to me.” “I’m on my own, silencing the angels in the better part of you.” “I am your gut, I am the truth. I am the power in you.” “Gotta face this on my own.”)

Nine:

Reflection - TOOL

IN MY MOUTH. Really, you should’ve seen this coming.

:) you know exactly why

My Demons - STARSET

Circles - KIRA (“Circles and circles, I look around, I go around, looking for something that cannot be found.”)

This song also describes the 3-5 years I didn’t leave the house and couldn’t even get up. Huh? Oh, that’s a… joke. Haha… (“I don’t want to know what’s waiting for me outside. I’ll make myself disappear. Tell me I should face my fears, but it’s so dark and cloudy in my room. I’m a sunflower who can’t bloom.”)

Still Here - Difitial Daggers (10/10 spelling) (Amazing)

Begin Again - Dabu

People Watching - Air Traffic Controller

Cemetery Blues - LuLuYam (“Why does everybody else seem to know me better than I do?” “Don’t want no damn special attention.” “The way I see it, why do I try at all? Maybe I don’t need to. Maybe I don’t want to. Maybe I’m dramatic and I can’t make up my mind.” “Try to be an optimist and I don’t wanna lose.” “Just another spectre in the graveyard.” “Cause the mask that I’m wearing is a safeguard, and the face underneath is holding back hard.”)

All The Fish Will Be Floating - Rusty Cage (“Apathy is a dangerous tool. Too much of empathy will make you a fool. Apathy blinds your eyes from everything.” “And I ain’t choosing no more, and I ain’t losing no more, and I ain’t winning no more. And I ain’t sinning anymore. Ain’t doing nothing anymore. I ain’t nothing no more.”)

Language Of The Lost - Riproducer (I literally can’t quote the lyrics rn because genius is lagging)

Spanish Sahara - Foals (I have to explain this one. “So I walked into a haze.” >The E9s forget about self. “Forget the horror here.” >escapism, a common E9 coping mechanism “I’m the fury in your head. I’m the ghost in the back of your head.” >again, loss of self, but also repressed anger. “A choir of furies in your head.”)

Don’t worry, I get accused of having shit taste all the time. I know what you’re thinking.

No I’m excluding the Enneagram album because I don’t like it. Uh… kinda blunt. :( I just don’t know how else to say it.

If you want to listen to any of my playlists: 1, 2, 3, 4

Edit: Making a new version

Edit 2: I might just update this one

Edit: didn’t include it, but whoever typed Bullet by HU as sx4 when it’s the most obvious depressed 7?? Also, hey, what would y’all type Darkest Part by Red? It fits a so3 character of mine, but I actually have no clue.

[1997thebracket]

Round 1F

Green Day’s Nimrod: For what it’s worth, it was worth all the while. Nimrod is the fifth studio album by American punk band Green Day. The 1997 album was a departure from the band's earlier punk sound, embracing a more diverse musical style that incorporated elements of pop, surf rock, ska, and folk; this could be seen as a catalyst for further popularizing the blended subgenres of pop-punk and folk-punk/acoustic punk. The album features several hit singles, notably Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) which would become one of Green Day's most recognized songs to this day, and sports one of the more iconic album covers of the 90s. Nimrod explores a range of themes from personal introspection to social commentary, and its stylistic experimentation demonstrated Green Day's evolving artistic maturity; the album's eclecticism paid off in commercial success and earned the band a firm place in mainstream music while retaining some of their alternative roots.

Perfect Blue: Come, stay with me in Mima’s Room. Perfect Blue is a Japanese animated psychological thriller directed by the late Satoshi Kon, released theatrically in 1997. The story revolves around a former pop idol, Mima, who leaves her sugary and girlish pop band CHAM! to transition into a more mature acting career; life soon takes a turn for the surreal as she becomes the target of an obsessive stalker, and begins losing sight of herself in the darkness. As the lines between reality and delusion blur, the plot unravels on itself and weaves through themes of identity, celebrity, and the psychological toll of fame. The critically-acclaimed Perfect Blue is celebrated by its enduring fandom for its mind-bending narrative, striking visuals (one scene, taking place in a submerged bath, was famously rumored to have been purchased for recreation in Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream) and its unsettling exploration of the human psyche, placing it squarely at the apex of gut-twisting anime filmmaking.

[skeeverboy]

hi i'm skeeverboy and here's my review of every tfb album (not including singles or eps but maybe i will at some point)

I Hate My Friends (2008)

despite being their first and least finished albums, it is one of my fav albums of all time. it's unique and definitely not for everyone, but the garage/basement sound and unique vocals are so charming. it has this whole immature feeling in both instrumentation and lyrics that i'm just obsessed with. i really like the background vocals and the entire shouty kind of singing this one has.

fav track: push-ups

rating: 9.5/10

My Grandma Vs. Pneumonia (2009)

very similar in sound and vibe to IHMF, with the same acoustic recorded-in-someone's-basement feeling (this is because both albums were in fact recorded in random basements and garages). it feels a little more finished than IHMF, and the songs have a bit of a different vibe that i don't know how to explain. ultimately though i put it in the same category as IHMF and frequently forget which songs are in which albums.

fav track: the bass is too loud

rating: 9/10

The Front Bottoms (2011)

absolutely amazing album. it has all the charm of the first 2, with significantly more development and more of a finished feeling. it starts off with an amazing first track and there's really not a dud on this album at all. both versions of the cover art are beautiful. the lyrics in this album are just like some of my favorite of all time and often times soul crushing. i love it. enough said.

fav track: looking like you just woke up

rating: 10/10

Talon of the Hawk (2013)

another absolute banger. it has a lot of the same vibes as self titled, though it started getting a lot higher energy. while still angsty and gut-punching, it's also a lot easier to jam out to than their self-titled, with more electric guitar featured and absolutely banger choruses. maybe a little bit overrated, but a great album nonetheless.

fav track: santa monica

rating: 9/10

Back On Top (2015)

another one of my favorites. it's nearly completely abandoned the more acoustic feeling, aside from chunks of songs like the beginning of West Virginia. pretty much every song can be either cried to or rocked out to in the car. even though there is one song on this album that i kind of hate (summer shandy) the rest of them more than make up for it. fun electric guitar parts, the epic wind section in 2YL, the hard hitting lyrics in songs like Plastic Flowers, it's all just amazing.

fav track: ginger

rating: 10/10

Going Grey (2017)

everyone hates me for my opinion on this album but ultimately it's just kind of meh for me. it's not bad, but it's my least favorite TFB album. the entire sound of the album isn't my favorite, and at times the vocals feel a little dull, which i mean the vocals are like the number one reason why i love the front bottoms. some of the lyrics leave something to be desired, especially considering past songs.

i don't hate the album though. it's high energy, really transitioned TFB into IS&IF and YAWYHOW smoothly. it has a lot of good songs while remaining pretty true to the core TFB sound.

fav track: trampoline

rating: 7.5/10 (don't crucify me please)

In Sickness & In Flames (2020)

ok on my tier list i admit i ranked this one way too low. it pushed the band into a new direction, with the autotune and the way more developed and finished sounding instrumentals. pretty much every song is high energy and catchy. it strays way more into the pop side of tfb's pop punk/emo sound, which is fine but not exactly my thing. i think they do it in a really graceful way though and most songs on here are bangers

fav track: bus beat

rating: 8/10

You Are Who You Hang Out With (2023)

this one is significant for me because it was their first full-length album they released while i was actively a huge fan. it was exciting and i heard a few of the songs before the album's release live, so i'm definitely biased in this one. the autotune is a little weird, but it works for me. the mix between brian's unique voice and the autotune and just the general sound of it are really good.

i'll admit it did take me a minute for it to grow on me, especially as an early tfb girlie, but grow on me it did. outlook and batman both feel like really nice tie-backs to the older sound, almost sounding like they're from TOTH or back on top?? and the newer, weirder songs (i'm looking at you Paris) work really well with the sound of album and such.

fav track: batman

rating: 9.5/10

[skiiyoomin]

RULES!!

DO NOT COPY OR REPOST MY WORK PLEASE!!

REQUESTS: OPEN

NAVIGATION

WHO DO I WRITE FOR?

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

What I think the Crows listen to

Kaz Brekker

Have you seen the way this man dresses? He dresses like a merchant and acts like one. He's definitely a very classy guy, hence the reason why I firmly believe he's the type of person that listens to jazz and soul music.

YOU CANNOT TELL ME OTHERWISE

Listens to Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé, Dean Martin

I've seen so many people classify him as the type to listen to hard core rock like Green Day, and although I understand why, I genuinely feel like Kaz is the type of person who enjoys the sound of the saxophone, the old school type of songs that your mom listened to when she was in high school.

I will forever stand by my point

Honorable mention: ABBA (He will never admit how much he enjoys their music)

INEJ GHAFA

To me she's a mix of 80s type of music and Taylor Swift. Like there's literally no in between.

I think Taylors more recent songs make her feel empowered in a way after everything she went through in the Menagerie.

Definitely enjoys her older songs though! I feel like she enjoys a lot of acoustic music and often shares it with Wylan.

As for the 80s taste, like you can't just tell me she doesn't listen to ABBA on a daily.

Honorable mention: Queen, just because.

NINA ZENIK

I think this one is pretty obvious

Pop queen all the way!!

Listens to the trendiest artists like Ariana Grande and Nikki Minaj.

Is always onto the next trendy song, never missing out on any.

She just lives for the poppy type of music that had you dancing on the spot no matter what!

She has definitely rubbed it a little bit onto Matthias

Screams the lyrics to Doja Cat songs with Jesper. PERIOD.

Honorable mention: One Direction, because I believe in my heart she has always been a Directioner and she bawled her eyes out when they disbanded.

MATTHIAS HELVAR

Either hard rock music or classical music. There is literally no in between.

Very emo, you can't convince me otherwise

Huge fan of artists like Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Green Day. THOSE type of artists

I'm a firm believer that he went through an emo phase in his life where the only music he listened to was My Chemical Romance and Panic! At the Disco.

Still cries to this day because of MCRs disbandment. Nina definitely teases him for it.

Honorable mention: Lady Gaga, because like I said before, Nina in some way has definitely influenced his taste. Lady Gaga is the bomb tho, I don't blame him.

JESPER FAHEY

Not gonna lie, I had a hard time figuring him out.

I think out of everyone, he has the most varied taste in music. Will listen to literally anything based simply on his mood.

Like Nina, he listens to pop the most. But I think he leans more towards older type of pop songs.

The type of songs you heard in your childhood that bring back core memories.

LOTS of club type of music like Usher, Pitbull, Britney Spears. Definitely a fun person to go clubbing with.

Honorable mention: The Neighbourhood. I am emotionally attached to The Neighbourhood, and I am emotionally attached to Jesper. I just HAD to put this in here.

WYLAN VAN ECK

Ok so the obvious answer would be soft type of music. Lots of acoustic type of songs.

LOVES artists like JVKE and Harry Styles.

BUT

he has another side that a lot of people forget to mention (aka book Wylan)

His guilty pleasures are the sluttiest type of songs. I'm talking The Weeknd, Chase Atlantic.

So many people picture him as a soft boy type of aesthetic and although it's somewhat true, so many people forget the "We could wake them up" Wylan.

Honorable mention: Arctic Monkeys, just like im emotionally attached to The Neighborhood, im just as attached to Arctic Monkeys and I know for a fact Wylan enjoys that type of music.

I said what I said.

[should-know-better]

I put this interview through a translator - it’s a bit clunky in places but readable.

“If things were like when I started, right now I would be a billionaire"

With "One Man Band" (Modern Sky, 23) the one from Liverpool returned this summer to the direct, optimistic and resounding chorus songs he carries in his soul.

Through Zoom Miles Kane sounds exactly like his songs, or more specifically like his latest video, where he spends a great sunny day with his dog on the promenade of Brighton: a sympathetic and unmistakably British euphoria, as contagious as he is unpretentious stains his answers.

It is not that sophistication has not been an integral part of who is still half of The Last Shadow Puppets, but these days it's time to go back to the essentials. That in addition, one thing does not take away the other. In a few days he begins an extensive tour that will take him in March to Spain in an unprecedented format: electric but solo. It will be the 5th in Barcelona (Sala Bóveda), 6 in Bilbao (Kafe Antzokia), 7 in Madrid (Jaguar) and 8 in Valencia (16 Tons). Kane is excited both for the novelty and for returning to our country. And it's nice to talk to him.

We should start by talking about the title of the album and the song of the same name, which is one of the most representative.

Yes, it was the first one I composed for the album. With it I was proving to myself a little that I am good enough, that I am going to lead the way of my own trip, do you understand me? And with a lyric like that I sing about the good times and leave the bad out. It's a pretty positive song that gave me confidence to make the rest of the album.

It is full of a luminous and optimistic energy. What did you have in mind when you started recording it?

Well, exactly that! I fell in love with the guitar again. I was loving playing it again, and I wanted to make an animated rock album. With words that had a meaning, but in a simple way. Put my guitar in front with the catchy lyrics and melodies and look at the plan. That's the heart of my sound, so we got down to work. The idea was to make Miles Kane's ultimate album.

Did you get tired of the guitar, then?

A little yes, before making this album. I think there are times when it can happen to you. I love Motown, soul and that kind of thing. And I love what we do in The Last Shadow Puppets, with all the strings and the woodwind that gives it a rather cinematic air, of a soundtrack. All that freaks me out. The songs have layers, and they end up having a dramatic tone. But I think you can keep the drama in a simpler way. In this case I wanted my guitar to be there. It may not sound so sophisticated, but I think you still have that feeling. And that's what I've tried to do, strip everything, remove all the strings, the pianos and have only guitar, bass, drums and voice.

Do you think people have a hard time making optimistic music? I say it because there is a lot of dark music out there, it seems that it has more prestige.

Well, I write about how I feel. And I think people identify themselves because it's real. I write from my experiences. I'm already looking back at my life, love, friendship or the classic material that I suppose everyone composes on. It's just that. I do it my way, I really tell what is happening to me in every moment. That's what I've always done. I think my best songs come from there.

The second side of the disc is softer and more delicate. Why did you structure it like that?

The album begins with a song called "Troubled Son" but is very animated and heavy. And it ends with a song titled "Scared of Love" and it's just the voice and an acoustic guitar. For me it's the perfect ending of an album: we started very high, kicking the door down. And then I tried to take a trip between those two songs that summarise everything. I think it makes a lot of sense to start like this, then to end with "Scared of Love". It's like starting with the fifth gear and then going down to the first, I don't know if I can explain.

For your new single "Time of Your Life" (song included in a seven-inch that accompanied the special edition of the LP) you have made a great video. It's Brighton, isn't it?

Yes, it's Brighton.

There you are with your dog, enjoying time on the promenade, in the clothing store, eating "fish and chips", that is, enjoying the small pleasures of life. It has caught my attention because we are used to having only the negative, miserable image of your country.

Honestly, all I wanted was to drive to Brighton, spend the day there and take the opportunity to make the video. I took my dog. I wanted it to be very simple. I like the mod atmosphere of Brighton and we combined these ideas without thinking too much. In 3 hours we had recorded the video. Me with my dog, walking. I like fish and chips and I'm a mod, so it's a day in my life. That simple, no nonsense. It's basically what I like.

It's just that many times we tend to wallow in the mud, don't we?

Yes, we all have our moments of depression, don't we? I get it. I have them myself. Of course. It's normal. But it's an animated song, and I wanted a video that was very simple and animated, very much from real life.

I guess that in this world many people are afraid to look cheesy, I don't know.

Yes, because I imagine it can happen. There may be people who think that the video is. And that the song is sugary. But if you think about it, well, I don't care. I like it and that's what matters. And yes, I think you have to have balls to do it. The people who will seem cheesy are probably sitting at home spending the day miserably. And it seems very good to me, that they are still there.

In January you start a huge tour with dozens of dates. You start in the United Kingdom, don't you?

Yes, I start with my band in January and February. But the tour I'm going to do in Spain I do alone, which is completely new to me. I'm going to play with drum loops and my electric guitar. It's not going to be something acoustic, but hard, a little like Sleaford Mods. But I wear my guitar, so I will play my riffis and stuff. It's something new, but I think I can move it forward. And it hits with the name of the album, "One Man Band". I want to go out and test myself.

I guess it's quite a challenge. How do you make it work?

It's a challenge, yes. It's very difficult to know what it will be like because it's the first time I've done it. I've always had the idea in my head to do a little Sleaford Mods-like thing, with drum loops and playing my guitar on top. You will still have the Miles Kane experience. It sounds a little cheesy, but it's going to be sugary. I did a test when the album came out, a bit like a teaser. And next week I'm going to do a solo like this in Sheffield with the same format as when I go to Spain and the rest of Europe. I think it works and I'm working to take the format to another level. I think it's going to be super fun, it's going to be stuck and it's going to be rocking. I haven't played solo in Spain for centuries, so I really feel like it. I think it's something completely new, and that's why it's very exciting. It seems to me that in Madrid all the tickets were sold and the concert was moved to a larger hall. I'm looking forward to getting to Spain. It's an honour.

And in those solo concerts are you going to play a little of everything?

Yes, a little bit of everything. I'm going to play my best songs. The good thing about this album is that many of these songs have connected and I still have to play them. I haven't played in Spain for years. But I think some of the venues are already sold out. They are going to be small, but I really feel like it. And this album is very fun to perform live. And I will also play the old hits, so it's going to be a full-blown party.

How has getting on a stage changed for you?

Performing is what I like most in the world. Sometimes life makes it hard precisely because I can't perform. You have to wait, you can't play every night. I still have the same tingling as when I started playing the fucking guitar at school, as a child. When I grab the guitar and go on stage, I don't care if there are ten or thousands of people. I love it.

That's the attitude. And it shows: recently I watched Youtube how you faced "The Back of Love" by Echo and The Bunnymen, live in a studio and I told myself: this is how a version is made.

Do you like them? I love them.

I'm freaking out. But it's a very hairy song, with that sharp guitar and the crazy drum beat. Why did you choose it?

I love making versions. I have done a lot throughout my career. Especially live, I like to play versions. And Echo and The Bunnymen is one of my favourite bands ever. There are many songs I could have chosen, but I still remember when I heard that song in Liverpool for the first time. It's quite unusual, isn't it? You have a crazy battery and it's like very epic. It has something from Scott Walker and also a surfing side. And it's very rocky. So it seemed appropriate to me. When I recorded it in Liverpool with my cousins we remembered when we were younger and how much we liked it. We started to do it, and it's true that there are times when it doesn't work. But in this case we decided to make a punk version, it went well and it sounds very cool.

And how do you see the Liverpool scene these days? From here we have the impression that there are always things happening throughout the United Kingdom.

It's fine. There are many young bands knocking on the door. There will always be kids in the bedroom wanting to be stars or making songs, and it often depends on the attention you put on them. But I think it never disappears, it depends on whether people look or not.

You yourself started very young in this world, but things have changed a lot, haven't they?

Yes. Obviously, if things were like when I started, right now I would be a billionaire. Streaming doesn't seem fair to me, it's hard how things have been put. It can be hard. But I am grateful to be able to still be here after twenty years. It is true that it is becoming more and more difficult, but this album has brought me back to where I wanted to be. What is difficult after being in this for so long is that you already know how things are. But it reached the 5th position. It is the highest position that a solo album of mine has reached. So I'm freaking out with it. As a 37-year-old man I feel like I'm in a good place, let's cross our fingers. For me, going out and doing these shows next year is going to be super special, I have never wanted to do something so much in my life.

By the way, do you have plans to do new things with Alex (Turner)?

Not at the moment, but never say never again...

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

I know Louis seems pretty dead-set on touring forever (support for this claim: He clearly loves touring. At 22:09 of fitf Zach Sang interview, he said that the main purpose of FITF is to "sell another tour"/ "carry on touring"; "Ask me in 3 years, I doubt that that will change")

Do you think he'd ever release an album that *isn't* designed for the live shows? I would love for him to release even just an EP of songs like Too Young, SBAS, OTB, Two of Us acoustic, etc... More tender/stripped down songs like that that aren't as rock-y or upbeat, more about the lyrics, and more focus on just his voice. I absolutely adore LIVE and FITF. i think FITF is objectively (and subjectively) better than Walls, but I can't help but miss his sadder-sounding songs.

He said something like he doesn't like that Walls is too sad or something, I forgot what he said exactly, and that's why he wanted to give more of a hopeful vibe for FITF. I'm not saying he should write songs that are pointedly about his grief (I think that kind of thing is embedded in his songs), but... just sadder-sounding songs that will effectively make me, well, sad. Songs where he can vent, or write some devastating lyrics. I got the impression that he took a step back from being vulnerable in his music from Walls to FITF, and keeping the song meanings to himself rather than giving them their definitive explanations. That's just my opinion, though. FITF had sad songs but they're sad bops you can absolutely groove to. Lovely.

This got long, sorry! Next album, I'd want him to continue with the lively and rock-inspired songs! I actually want him to double-down on the rock sound (which I'm aware may alienate the pop-loving section of the fandom, but let's see). For the sad songs, I'm thinking more years down the line and a bit far into the future Haha. Maybe this will make the fandom depressed? 😭 What are your thoughts on this?

I don’t know that Louis is avoiding sad songs on purpose (because Chicago, Saturdays, and Hoth are devastating) but that he felt like people became too focused on his own personal history and tragedies. I feel like it became a little uncomfortable to have to explain what the songs mean, and then songs become more like a soap opera from one season to the next, with fans focusing on discord, personal disagreements and shade, rather than the broader meaning behind the songs.

Louis isn’t a rock n roll guy who hides behind bravado. He realizes his charisma, but in a way, he’s not hiding behind it, and he doesn’t really buy into the hype like some of the other guys from One Direction. It gets a little weird sometimes because we all knew them when they were kids, before their fame, and now fame has turned some of them into another species altogether.

Songwriters who are lyricists first have an obsessive sort of mentality, so I’m sure Louis will come back to the more interior songs.

[louisupdates]

Louis Tomlinson in Tampa, FL

Photos and Written by Romina Raggio

Louis Tomlinson is, and will always be, an absolute rockstar! Louis took Tampa by storm on Friday, July 14th at our very own Yuengling Center, located on the University of South Florida Campus, as part of his Faith in the Future World Tour. Dedicated fans with general admission floor tickets began lining up as early as 9am for their numbered wristbands, per the policy set forth by Louis' team to dissuade overnight camping. Later that day, they returned to line up in their places to enter the venue.

Once inside, fans were regaled by powerful and emotional ballads from the first opener, Andrew Cushin. At just 23 years old, Cushin puts on a show filled with passion and left fans absolutely floored! Next came a band by the name of "The Snuts". Originally from Scotland, the Snuts know how to put on a show. With high energy songs like "Seasons", fans were jumping around & filling the center with fun dance moves and smiles.

When it finally came time for Louis to take the stage, fans were absolutely brimming with anticipation. Fog and strobes filled the scene as the opening notes of Louis's song "The Greatest" began to play. Louis' band made their way out onto the stage, and the screams were deafening as we awaited the man himself. The crowd absolutely exploded as Louis finally appeared, and proceeded to put on one of the best shows I've ever seen!

When Louis began his performance, I was absolutely speechless. His voice is absolutely incredible, with the most beautiful and unique vocals of any vocalist I've ever heard. Louis sang his heart out, songs like "Bigger Than Me" and "Face The Music" from his latest album "Faith in the Future", while also bringing out some oldies from his debut album "Walls" with songs like "Kill My Mind" and "We Made It". Fans went absolutely nuts for Louis' cover of "505" by the Arctic Monkeys, and then completely lost it to Louis' new rock rendition of one of his earliest singles "Back to You" feat. Bebe Rexha. Louis sings each and every word with so much passion, and every one of his songs is an absolute work of art! Louis also takes every possible opportunity to thank his fans, saying time and time again that he wouldn’t be here if it weren't for them, and expressing just how much he loves them. At one point, Louis even took the time to sign a tattoo for a fan, a common request from his tattoo-obsessed fanbase. Louis was constantly cheesing at fans and looked to be having the absolute best time on stage, and we just couldn’t get enough of him!

As Louis' left the stage proceeding his final encore, something incredible happened. One particular fan in the crowd began belting out the lyrics to "No Control", a song by One Direction that is famously known to be written by Louis himself. The entire crowd then began singing along, me right along with them, serenading Louis backstage with this and another 2 songs from his One Direction days in a nostalgic sing-along. The camaraderie within the crowd was beautiful, and it was so touching to see music bringing fans together like this.

Louis then took the stage one final time, performing an acoustic "Saturdays" under one single glowing bulb, the iconic "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" by the one and only One Direction, and finally finishing off with an off the charts performance of "Silver Tongues". Fans at the barricade scrambled to get as close as possible when Louis climbed off stage and sang the final few lines from on top of the barricade itself. Louis pulled himself out of the crowd, said one final thank you, and left the stage. With that, Louis concluded his final Florida show date of his Faith in the Future World Tour.

I could not stop smiling throughout the entirety of this show, from the incredible openers to the iconic Louis Tomlinson. As a longtime fan, I'll never get tired of seeing Louis perform, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone! Louis was born to perform; From his early days as the lead in his school play of "Grease" to his chart topping years in One Direction, to now, taking his solo career to new heights every single day. It's only up from here for him, and fans and I alike cannot wait to see where he takes us next!

Louis Tomlinson, FITFWT23: TAMPA [14.7.2023] Part1. Photos Part 2, Part 3

[rastronomicals]

2:15 AM EDT April 5, 2024:

Led Zeppelin - "Hots On For Nowhere" From the album Presence (March 31, 1976)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

Much in the same way that the lyrics to The Beatles' "Glass Onion" acknowledged with a nod and a reluctant wink the gnostic cult of Paul-is-Dead, the packaging of Led Zeppelin's Presence acknowledged the I'm sure at-least-somewhat-discomfitting fact that their group had long since become the most humongous rock band in the world.

By the time of The White Album, and by the time of Presence, respectively, things had gotten to the point where expedience was no longer expedient. The Beatles had tried not to feed the conspiracy theorists, and Zeppelin--modest at least in this one regard--had stayed away from licensing lunchboxes and appearances on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. But at a certain point, things get so big, and so plain, that they become the elephant in the room.

Presence seems to be Zep's acceptance of their own status (beyond even their own control) as Big Dumb Object, an enormous artifact of unfathomable consequence.

That's dumb as in "incapable of speech," not as in "stupid," just so we're straight. But since we're there, let me note that Presence perhaps more than any Zeppelin album save II demonstrates that a certain amount of stoopidity is unavoidable or even desired if you're going to play the cock-rock game.

Plant's lyrics to "Achilles" reference some etching or the other of William Blake's, so my point is not to disparage Zeppelin's obvious operational intelligence. Still, Zeppelin were all about contrast: I dare you to check out the live video from '77, and tell me that Plant's suggestive mannerisms as he sings the band's 11-minute epic aren't a little stoopid . . . .

Ah, but I digress, 'cause the key concept here is not "Dumb" but "Big." Think thunder. Think "Hammer of the Gods," if that helps.

After four albums where at least part of the idea had been to leaven the heaviness with keyboards or acoustic instruments, Presence was a return to the undiluted bombast of the second album. Guitar bass drums voice recorded in a mere 18 days--not necessarily simple, but certainly direct.

The instrumental contrasts that for good or ill had been there on III, IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti were absent on the band's seventh album--and maybe that's why it's long been their least popular. Funny thought, that: maybe Zeppelin were so goddamned popular not because of the parts that rocked, but because of the parts that didn't!

I don't want to go overboard, however. I don't want to make it sound as if Presence were a piece of the nascent pub rock of the time, because the very first track belies that. "Achilles" is the third longest studio track for the band and features perhaps Page's most intricate guitar orchestration, with as many as 12 overdubs. It's routinely described as proggy, or even Yes-like (and if you don't believe that, consider that Dream Theater is one of the many acts who have covered the song). And note that Jonesy is playing an eight-string bass.

Leave it to this band of contrasts to feature a 10-1/2 minute song about a Greek demigod with painstakingly multitracked guitars on their back-to-basics record . . . Presence is perhaps Led Zeppelin's most misunderstood album, but for Page Plant Jones & Bonham, that may have been The Object all along.

File under: The Object Of It All

--

[why-so-serious-lucifer]

K-pop Discography Deep Dives: Onew

Onew is one of the five members of 2nd generation group SHINee, and debuted with them in 2008 before debuting as a soloist ten years later with Blue. Here are my credentials: If you’ve ever read my blog before, you’ll know I’m a huge ShaWol (SHINee fan), and so I’m slowly making my way through their solo discographies before eventually tackling their huge discography as a group. I’ve done Taemin, Jonghyun, Key, and now Onew, but Onew’s actually the one I know the least well, so I’m excited to get to know more! (Also shoutout to @fallsouthwinter, who knows his work like the back of their hand).

Blue is a ballad if ever there was one, and usually ballads take a lot to win me over…but this one managed! I love dancing and beautiful production, but I’m a singer at heart, and so I couldn’t help but be won over by Onew’s absolutely stunning voice mixed with such light strings. I don’t know exactly which life experiences the song is about, but the way he sings it, it’s like he’s pouring his heart into every note, and it’s quite an affecting performance, even without a translation. The MV too is gorgeous, all in shades of blue, gray, and white, swirling around him in a vortex.

Voice is quite a melancholy EP on the whole, but I still enjoyed the gentle pull-back and rush-forward of Your Scent, the catharsis in the slow-building Illusion, and especially the sweetness and warmth in the lyrics and acoustic guitar of Shine On You (my hidden gem); I go “aww” at the “I love you” every time.

Dice is a song that, somehow, I hadn’t actually heard before? It seems kind of shocking, considering it’s his most popular song. It goes the precise opposite way from Blue, being much cuter, poppier, and stranger (the last mostly in terms of music video), and overall reminded me a little of Jonghyun’s laid-back R & B style, just with a peppier edge. Though the song itself is nothing incredible, Onew’s voice makes everything more enjoyable, and the music video had me very amused (especially when they run away together, lol). I also like the bridge a lot. From the EP, also called Dice, I enjoyed the building synths in the dancy, appropriately sunny Sunshine (my hidden gem), the vintage background beat in On The Way, and the vulnerability expressed in Love Phobia.

Kirakira, of course, is a Japanese release, and returns to the orchestral style of Blue, but with a far more upbeat feeling that I think works quite well with his voice. It has an excellent driving beat from its underlying guitar (which actually gets a solo, here), and a brightness that feels like it comes from deep within. And, that music video is adorable; I can never resist a cat! This is actually my favorite single so far, which is a surprise. Apparently it’s a cover of an older J-pop song by Odu Kazumasa, and “Kirakira” literally means “shiny”, which I hope was a choice made on purpose, because if so, that’s very sweet.

From the EP, Who Sings?, I loved the jazzier direction taken with the building strings in the slowly burning (seven-minute-long!) Everything, which feels like more of an epic or opera than just a song, so I couldn’t pick anything else as my hidden gem. But, I also enjoyed the feel-good orchestral pop of Uroko.

Life Goes On is also a Japanese title, and like Kirakira, features the story of someone other than Onew in its music video (though he does appear in this one). It’s peppier from the outset, and feels like the OST of a drama set by the beach, which makes sense for a summer track. I especially enjoy its central message of joy and its encouragement for the little trials that life puts us through, and I admit that, though I expected to be bored at first, it won me over. From the EP, Life Goes On, my hidden gem was made by the 60’s indie-soft-rock vibes of Yoake No Sekai and the pathos and comfort in his voice in Lighthouse.

Circle is the first single I ever really saw from Onew, and it made me fall in love with his voice, for good reason. It’s so light and airy, but holds so much warmth and inner strength in it, which makes it quite unique. Circle is at times peaceful and soothing, and at others a little haunting with how high his voice goes. As a Wiccan, of course I appreciate the idea of life going on in cycles of seasons, years, and elements, and the ending with the full choir behind him mixed with the gentle strings and slow beat gave me goosebumps.

From the album, Circle, I had so many highlights: the coffee-shop vibeyness and percussive guitar of Rain On Me, the easy charm of Caramel (which reminded me of IU’s Bbibbi with its bubbly beat), the spacey synths of Anywhere, the soaring vocals and bright acoustic guitar of Paradise, the tongue-in-cheek vocalizing in the groovy No Parachute, and the cozy warmth of Walk With You. I completely understand why Billboard named it their top k-pop album of the year. Well deserved.

Inspiration and Knock On My Door are Japanese singles, and I won’t spend too much time on them. Inspiration combines a very classic K-pop winter sound (those twinkling sound effects!) with a peppy underlying beat, and is pretty enjoyable, as holiday-sounding songs go. Knock On My Door is slower and more stripped-back, opting once more for an acoustic guitar and the strength of Onew’s vocals to create what’s quite a pleasant song, but a bit forgettable.

I’m glad I did this! Looking through Onew’s discography is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while. I gained a brand new respect for Onew’s beautiful voice and how well it fits with strings. I don’t have the same emotional connection to his work that I do with Taemin’s, Key’s, and Jonghyun’s, but I think it could really grow on me in time.

My Top 5 songs are Kirakira, Circle, Everything, Life Goes On, and Shine On You, with No Parachute as an honorable mention. Onew gets an 8.25 out of 10 from me, which is about what I expected. Like with Kim Sejeong’s work, I’m not a fan of an overwhelming amount of ballads, but I found that besides that, it had a pretty decent balance. The genres he delves into aren’t always among my favorites, but when he nails it, he nails it.

Next time, we’ll be doing part 2 of the SHINHWA deep dive and a girl group supplemental. Tschüss!