#sometimes its not the genre of music i like but something about the singers voice is satisfying or maybe i like the way the beat sounds

[gideonnavsenormousbiceps]

just listening to music isn't enough I need to replay every song i like a million times so that I can feel every note in my bones and every little sound in the background is carefully and exhaustively cataloged in my brain

[chrissdollie]

rapper!chris x singer!reader hcs

a/n: lowkey a collab with @bambi-slxt bc of all the headcanons she sent me LMAOO thank u sweets!! <3

SFW

chri$ is definitely one of the more "soft" rappers. everyone knows that hes a lovesick puppy for you. he doesnt have ONE line including the words "my bitch". instead he replaces them with "my girl" OR "my wife" :((

i think he would 100% make an album fully dedicated to you. kinda like tyler the creator's "call me if you get lost" in a way. for example, in the song "HEAVEN TO ME", tyler explains his dreams. chris would rap about all of the things he wants to do with you and how he sees you in his life forever

he has many features on peace on the beach with my peach since its partially about your guys' sweet relationship! theres moments in the record where there are beautiful beats paired with your heavenly vocals and cute voice cracks while chri$ is dropping barssss (ill make a post ab lyrics i think he'd add)

sososososo supportive of your creative journey. he was with you as you wrote and planned out your extremely personal debut. he even helped out at the studio :c

but then you started adventuring some time after your 2nd-3rd album. you started experimenting with different genres/styles. you created storylines and visuals along with your music.

out of the two of you, chri$ is definitely more famous. anyhow, he got invited to the met gala and had u has his plus one obviously, where you both looked drop dead gorgeous!! i literally cannot see him wearing a basic ass suit and tie to the met. he has to be on your level and match your uniqueness which make you two stand out so much!

when you both got up the steps, he was being interviewed by emma chamberlin, who was also a fan of his. she asked about the creative process of his newly released album and he totallyy put you in the spotlight, saying "yn helped me a lott honestly. she's... literally a genius." he grins, turning to you while keeping his hand on your waist.

you guys like toying with the paparazzi when they're bothering you. you goofballs make silly faces right in the cameras so they back off

one time when you were being interviewed, your sweet boy wrapped his arms around your waist as he listened to you talk. you were a little nervous and stuttered a bit, but chris consoled you by rubbing small circles into your waist and whispering a gentle "it's okay baby" to your ear.

you fangirl on stage when you catch your boyfriend's eyes in the front row. sometimes you entirely stop what you're singing just to giggle and squeal "hiiii honey!!" while twirling your hair like a little girl. the audience cheers with screams when they realize chris is with them in the crowd-- but feels like its only you two in the stadium when he blows you a kiss (some corny shit he never thought he'd do) and mouth the words "i love you".

for the holidays, u two visit homeless shelters and childrens hospitals and perform for everybody <3

imagine just hanging out at the studio with him and your guys' friends. he's manspreading on a leather couch while massaging your feet resting in his lap as you write lyrics in your lap, your friends helping you out as you do.

you knew that somewhere down the line there was going to be some kind of beef. a popular rapper decided to call out chris for something he did years ago as a literal child. you both ignore it until he sends out a tweet about you. something around, "nd his bitch bad asf id hit fs but she a fuckin weirdass childish mf"

you ignore the fact he called u a "weirdass childish mf", you cant care less, many people dont vibe with ur ideas and thats okay!

u do however care about how his girlfriend would react to seeing him wanting to fuck you. and you'd met her before too, she was a little snobbish, but respectful nonetheless. you joked to your boyfriend about dropping your own diss track on him, but he actually seem intrigued. you shut it down almost immediately though, you didn't wanna make something small such a big deal

but at the next big event you guys went to, you found the rapper's girlfriend and showed her his tweet. she thanked you with a furious scowl on her face before she ran off and slapped the shit out of him in front of everybody

chris gets a custom made $5k chain that has ur name and little details that remind him of u around it :((

NSFW

speaking of that chain, he wears it whenever he pounds into you so you'll be reminded of how he's yours.

chris loves ur vocals so much on stage! he finds them beautiful, but he loves them even more in bed.

"cmon mama lemme hear that pretty voice"

in fact, you two created a song just to have playing in the background while you two get intimate

chris audio recorded him eating u out once and you saying, "oh, fuck chris, it's so good!" and he decided to use that as an adlib in his favorite songs OR disses he wrote about someone being a jerk to u

watching chris perform did things to you. seeing him sweat, brushing his gorgeous hair out of his face, putting in so much energy into his performance... it's intoxicating! sometimes you wish he'd just drop the mic, pull you onstage, and make love to you infront of the world.

he talks about marrying you while he's balls deep inside of your wet cunt :( saying how he wants to drop a humongous bag on your ring, give you the wedding of your dreams, and how he desperately wants to hear "missus sturniolo" from others' mouths

chris will totally pop up behind stage after a show and guide you to your dressing room not so subtly. you apologize to your manager before rushing to your private room like a giddy teenager. "wanna see her sweetheart, she wet for me righ' now? oh, there she is.." he coos as he bends down to his knees right in front of your pussy when you pull down your pretty pink stage costume.

@leah-loves-lilies @1everythingmustgo @star-sturn @junnniiieee07 @mattsneezing @freshloveee@freshsturns@emma4eva @r6diosturns @matthasmywholeheart @donthugmeimhot @blahbel668 @chrissturnsss @joanofarcily @mattscoquette @slutsturn @sturnioloremarker @ashley9282828 @jnkvivi @sturncakez @lanasturn @riasturns @st7rnioioss @strnlxlqve @starlace111 @mattsfavbigtitties @stvrlighht

[bp-zb1fics]

hi! I love your stories! <3 do you think you could do a suggestive taerae fic?

Thinking about

pairing: taerae x reader

pronouns: none used

genre: fluff, suggestive themes

tw/tags: not much plot or dialogue sorry, music metaphors, introspection, very sentimental, kisses, making out, non-explicit descriptions, taerae slight demisexual implications (this in no way reflects on the real person, fiction is fiction)

wc: 871

summary: in this game called love, taerae trusts you with his heart

a/n last req done before i focus on checklist reqs! thanks so much anon, i really hope you like it! i got a little poetic with this one and played around with italics so its very soft hours but not much happens, idk if that works or not so feel free to lmk!

Check my pinned for more fics~

“What are you thinking about, Taerae-ah?”

You’re sitting on the couch, his guitar on his lap, your hands in his as he traced over dip, curve and line. Pressing your palms together, skin against skin, stretching his fingers out to see if his hand is larger than yours.

“Hmmm, how your hands look next to mine.”

Being with you is never boring, in Taerae’s opinion. Because even when it seems boring to other people, there’s always something new and interesting for you or him or for both of you. He can spend afternoons with you and his guitar, strumming and singing for you until you join him. And maybe you’re not the best singer but he’ll still listen to your voice like it’s a dream he doesn’t want to wake from. (Sometimes love isn’t just blind but deaf too)

And the best part wasn’t you getting the harmony right or him hitting those impressive vocal riffs, no, it was the silly little songs you made up together, nonsensical lyrics and ridiculous ad libs that you end up laughing over. Because that’s what Taerae thinks about sometimes, when he’s about to go to bed, when he’s too tired to think of anything else. He’ll think about the way you laugh, the sheer joy of that tiny moment. There are some moments that he wished he could save in a time loop and live in.

“I love your songs.”

You tell him the day he gathered enough courage to play you something from the little notebook he keeps, lyrics and chords in his handwriting. He treasures that memory just like he treasures those days when you have enough time to sit down and talk for hours. Long conversations that stretch time so thin that it feels just like seconds ticking away.

“Play something for me, please?”

Play with my heart, Taerae thinks, because I’ve given it to you to take joy in, to keep you company on lonely days, to make you smile and laugh and remember only the innocence of life. I’ve given you my hand to hold in the playground that we call love and I trust you not to let go, not to abandon me, just as I make a promise to never leave you, to play the game of hearts until ours stop beating.

You two have a million playlists together. Each of them are a carefully curated, specifically arranged set of songs that Taerae and you create for every occasion. Birthdays, anniversaries, long drives, short drives, walks by the river, all saved to preserve the moments you spend loving each other.

There are also playlists for moments like this. Soft, sultry, dreamlike beats in the background as he lifts his guitar off his lap, places it carefully to the side and pulls you closer. His hands leave yours only to glide up your neck and cup your cheeks. 

Gentle kisses. His lips fit over yours like a missing puzzle piece. Pulling away only for a force stronger than gravity pulling them back in. Your hands holding the back of his neck. It’s a haze as he presses your back into the couch, his legs bracketing yours in between them. He only pulls away once your lips are swollen, when the need for oxygen overpowers his need to kiss you until you both feel like you're floating. Your eyes meet his and you laugh breathlessly as he smiles at you, so, so enamoured.

If he could write a song about you, it would be about love.

You tug him back down, one hand sliding into his hair, fingers in between strands. He shivers, bending down to press his lips below your ear, mapping out a path down your neck as you get a little more restless. Taerae is almost too warm and so are you. He stops at the base between you neck and shoulder, the press of his mouth a little firmer, teeth scraping over skin, tongue following as if to soothe. Your fingers are laced in his hair, your back arching just a little at the sensation. Then he pulls back, pressing kisses along your collarbones. Your hips jump just a little, brushing against him and he exhales slowly.

Taerae wasn’t really interested in girls. Or boys. Just you.

He’s interested in the way you shakily undo another button of his shirt between kisses, the way you tremble a little when his hands slide under the hem of yours, skin against skin, fingers stroking the sides of your waist. Nothing becomes more interesting than the sounds he can pull from you, the kind of music that sends jolts of heat down his spine. His favourite song is the way you call his name, sweet and wholly addictive.

In the afterglow, he can only look at you. He can only watch the way you watch him, with so much unbridled affection that his heart is bursting, spilling out the seams to show you how he feels about you. To keep showing you everyday until your heart decides to give out. And he hopes that when that day comes, that the way he chose to love you was enough. Because you were more than enough for him.

__________________________________________

“What are you thinking about, Taerae-ah?”

“I don’t know…” 

“...You mostly.”

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

number 2!!

So the reader is ftm, and Eddie is obsessed with his voice (he's a singer) his voice is like a destroy boys / destructo disk type.

And Eddie is head over heals when he sings. and even more when he gets m/n to moan.

and if you're comfortable, can you do a kinda heavy make out?

Thanks! (Drink water or I will make you :) )

Hi! Thanks for your patience while I worked on this! Hope you enjoy!

Eddie Munson x Trans Male Reader

CW: Smut adjacent, nothing explicit.

Send me request here! Currently writing for Eddie Munson. I write for a variety of reader inserts (male, female, gender neutral, POC too).

The more details you had to your request, the better it is for me. EX: “What about some fluff for Eddie after he’s had a long day?”

Feel free to look through my masterlist here!

_______________________________________________________________

It’s not that Eddie’s angry if what he’s heard is true. In fact, he’d be fucking glad that there is another band in town. But it is nerve wracking. Will these newcomers somehow get faster traction than Corroded Coffin? Will they have to struggle just like they did? Part of Eddie hopes this band is not struggling as much as they did, but something like jealousy that Eddie wishes he doesn’t feel is the hardest part to get rid of. 

So on Wednesday, during the evening when Eddie normally would be trying to bury the woes, he travels to The Hideout. The trip is truly speared by the necessity of making sure the band gets paid. After the Tuesday gig, the manager asked if Eddie could come tomorrow to get the cash considering they’d done a bank drop earlier than they normally did but had to after a pretty hefty weekend of festivities. Eddie’s not sure what could’ve caused in a town like Hawkins but he wasn’t going to argue with the one revenue stream that was legal. 

Thus landing Eddie here, leaning into the corner of the bar, watching the band play. It’s not metal--decidedly not, but Eddie still finds his head bobbing along to the hefty and heavy hats of the drums as the singer screams into the microphone, “Is this all I’ve ever known?” 

It’s punk, a music genre Eddie knew of and listened to occasionally even if it wasn’t what he gravitated too. He’d hoped for this band's sake that soon the genre would have its moment. It felt timely, a reflection of the shit state of the world and demanding change. Where Eddie’s genre of choice was all about escaping and finding some fantastical way out of the misery, this bank charged the misery head on. 

“Now I’m crying in a bathroom stall,” the singer croons, a layered haircut bouncing along the side of their face. The ends are flipped out, framing the round face in a way that reads like a warning but also lures Eddie in. All he wants to do is to know the way the rosy cheeks feel under his palm. The voice is definitely singing, but it’s almost mocking as they speak sing some of the lyrics. Eddie’s spine shivers. 

Instantaneous as the thought of the sweaty cheeks comes Eddie shakes his head, trying to keep in mind that he is here to get paid from yesterday. But the lead singer’s voice invades Eddie’s brain. He has a feeling as the manager hands over bills and Eddie stuffs it into his pocket, that he’s going to be hanging around The Hideout a lot more often in the middle of the week. 

After three weeks straight of attending the Wednesday shows, the lead singer seems to approach Eddie head on, though Eddie’s been one to always linger at the bar. “You play on Tuesdays right?” 

Eddie nods. “Yeah. You all sound amazing by the way. Like really good.” It should come out with a bit more shame and a bit more reservation. But the praise is all to easy to give because each time Eddie hears the band, the more he falls in love with them. 

“Th-thanks. You and your band sound great too.”

“Would-would you like to go out sometime?” Eddie asks. “I’d like to get you know you more.” He’s being way more suave about this than he’d ever imagine himself to be. But maybe it’s the setting. It’s not school and he’s not dealing with someone that might even have some pre-conceived notion about him, or be trying to get a story to tell a friend about how they kissed, slept with, or even hung out with The Freak. It’s a bar--two social outcasts who are doing everything they can to let the world know the wrongs it’s committed. It’s just easier because here, there’s no real judgment. 

“I’d like that. What did you have in mind?”

It’s a simple question. And the response is less simple, less smooth, because if Eddie’s is honest he anticipated not getting this far. But even though he fumbles through his response, it lands him here, listening through the closed bathroom door as you hum from the otherside. You’d been working on some lyrics for a new song for a week now, singing the chorus of it ever and over throughout the trailer. Washing dishes--you were singing. Taking a quick smoke break--singing. 

The sink runs for almost a minute before the door handle creaks with the twist and it opens to reveal a goofy smile on Eddie’s face. “Were you listening to me piss?” you ask. 

“Listening to you sing, more specifically. The pee was just a byproduct.”

“Weirdo,” you laugh and step around him to head to his room. 

“It’s not my fault that you have a voice that calls out to me like a siren. Really it’s your fault.” 

He follows behind you to his room. You settle at his desk and Eddie falls onto the bed behind you. Where you’d normally have a response, your focus zeros in on the notebook in front of you. Eddie watches the way the line of your shoulders tense up. He pushes up, hands taking the meat of your shoulders into his palms. He wastes no time in kneading at them. 

“You’re thinking too hard about it.” Eddie trails his lips closer to your ear. They brush a kiss to shell and then down your neck.  “Let me help you relax.”

You sigh into the feeling of Eddie’s hands and lips at your neck and shoulders. The song did need to be done by the weekend for rehearsals. But you’d managed to get more done than you thought you would consider the difficulty that it was giving you earlier. Maybe it wouldn’t at all be a bad idea. “You’re lucky I like you,” you tease. 

Eddie’s hands slide down from your shoulders to your back, pressing right above your hips firmly. The action makes you groan--mostly involuntarily, as you hadn’t even noticed how much tension you’d been putting on your lower back. His fingers knead at your body and every moan that you let slip through your lips makes Eddie purr into your skin. 

If it weren’t for the back of the chair, you’re sure Eddie’s crotch would be pressed into your spine and you’d inevitably feel the growing erection. You only let it go for another minute or two before you reach back for his hands. He pauses at the light hold of your wrist. “Something wrong?”

You shake your head before pushing up from the chair. “No, just want you closer,” you whisper as you press into his chest. 

Eddie dips his head, capturing your lips in a kiss. His hold is gentle around your waist, fingers hardly pressing into the hot flesh under the sweatshirt. Your head grows a little dizzy with the feeling of his tender trace. The parting of your lips echoes in the room before you two meet again for another kiss. A grunt falls from Eddie as you push him down onto the bed and you land squarely on his lap, not hiding the sigh at the feeling of his erection pressing up into you. 

Though you two hadn’t gone as far to have sex just yet, only being a few months total into the relationship, it still pleased you to know you had this kind of effect on Eddie. He laughs as you rock your hips against his. “Don’t,” he hums. “I know you’re sick and demented and you get pleasure from making me puddy.”

You grin. “Which is why I do it.”

Eddie squeezes at your sides, his hands never go higher than your stomach and you’re thankful that he seems to be aware of how at times your chest causes you discomfort, but right now, you don’t mind his searing touch, so you guide Eddie’s hands up and when his fingers brush over your chest and nipples, your throat loses the battle of suppressing the moan. 

Eddie drops his head a little, listening to the sound of your pleasure rolling around his brain. “God I love that sound,” he whispers into your throat. His lips kiss square in the middle, tongue falling the pressing of his kiss. “I love it so fucking much.”

You release another one, fingers gripping at Eddie’s shoulders to keep you steady. “Please.”

It’s a plea, Eddie knows that. For what? Not even you can tell, but Eddie drops his hands to your thighs getting a tight grip and then tosses you into the pillows. His crawl up your body is slow and tortuous but when his hands finally settle against, holding your waist and his lips seal around yours, you hum at the weight of him pressing you into the mattress. 

“Thank you,” you exhale as Eddie moves his kisses down your jaw.

“Any time, baby,” he whispers back. His teeth trace the bone of your chin before he trails his tongue back down over your throat. Your moan comes out shaky. “Any fucking time.”

[mako-neexu]

guda-chan idol AU reverse harem + past life remembered AU that includes everything i ever want that caters to my needs, romaguda where romani secretly hides his crush on ritsuka as the school nurse but also hes a helplessly in love fan and absolutely does Not pour his savings into buying merch of her (da vinci and mash says its creepy for a 30s to do this, ritsuka doesnt think so and romani agrees), as the school nurse he really cares for her genuinely since for some reason, he feels soft towards her ever since meeting her- the girl having stumbled across an empty classroom he was using where they talked for a bit and he felt this closeness and familiarity towards her that he cant describe, and if he oversteps boundaries he'd do dogeza insantly, he would combust if ritsuka so much as holds his hand though,

kadoguda where kadoc doesnt care about her career, very chill friend ritsuka loves to hang out with, really likes the music that ritsuka makes since a majority of it is composed by her or the lyrics are by her when she's invited to help out on another artist, he likes her MVs, her voice, some of the animation she made by herself, hes impressed by her skill in art, and especially her being multilingual, wdyM she can converse in fluent russian with him?? where did she learn that???yes she can she even knows a few dead language and speaks it well. not sus at all. and also nonope he doesnt have a crush on her. he definitely doesnt volunteer to be the one to drag her to her bed to rest instead of practicing another dance routine.

also obeguda where oberon is an actor-seiyuu-singer and because they voiced two characters in a show called 'Avalon le Fae', another sequel to an ongoing anime series that was popular in japan and their characters' ship blew up locally and internationally, they did collabs sometimes, they were invited to do dramalogues, also to radio broadcasts, gameshows, talkshows together etc. hosts even try to ask the both of them if theyre dating but they always somehow dodge the topic. since oberon's character almost matches his own feelings during the avalon le fae voice recording session, he's surprised by ritsuka having immediately understood the assignment as "Master of Chaldea". the studio decided to pick the female Master this time to take over for the male Master. just a one time thing (but could change depending on people's views since the director of the entire series liked using male Master as much as possible for fanservice and bc shounen genre) so with Master of Chaldea being a girl this time, everyone is excited to see how it would play out. after all, female Master of Chaldea never got the chance to shine in the soptlight in the main story.

the way ritsuka voices 'Master of Chaldea' feels... raw, natural. she understood their pain as someone who has killed innocent worlds just for a chance at survival, she understood the burden of being a commander for ghosts who can kill her in an instant, she understood the weight of what 'Master of Chaldea' entailed in the entire series. theres a pleasant lilt to her voice when the moment is quiet in the scene, especially during her nightly conversations with the Fairy King who was the "only servant summoned in the lostbelt to help Chaldea" . her voice is strong and determined yet there is fear, there is that sense of "i have to move and save someone. i have to try even if it will be useless in the end. i have to try. i cant save everyone but i have to try." in her voice when someone dies, when someone is hurt, when someone close to her disappears. ritsuka's voice acting especially shines during the 'Lost Will' episode/scene. where she conveys 'Master of Chaldea's feelings as if it truly truly is her own. and either shes just really passionate or something about the character resonates with her. so this makes oberon watch her more carefully. avalon le fae also gives ritsuka the chance to befriend artoria again, who was the star (hehe) for this show despite being a little new to the entertainment world. and because ritsuka loves castoria no matter the world, ritsuka devotes every spare time she has into spending time with artoria. and artoria is almost always flustered bc wtf wtf fujimaru ritsuka is holding my hand?! she's kissing my cheek!? wtf do i do!?aaaaæåâa. ritsuka also teases oberon, which then leads to oberon breaking out of his princely facade to retort back because of course, no matter the world, only yakudou trio can mess with each other's masks and call each other out haha. in anycase, this AU's oberon is also looking for his titania in a way. and so with avalon le fae's story, it feels like ritsuka is constantly calling him out for real and not just towards his character but to himself too. maybe there is even a party...maybe a ball for the entire staff that lets oberon and ritsuka do a more intimate talk as just 'themselves'. they could even dance together which would fuel more rumors of them dating and also for my obeguda needs. oberon also notices she has so many very faint scars that can easily be covered up by makeup or photoshop which would allude to her past life but of course she keeps that knowledge secret. again, oberon's attention towards her is sharpened. her work as an entertainer with her multiple talents allows her to do maybe even thrice of what he usually does with his own roles and things only he can do. theres of course that natural enormous pressure she feels as an entertainer, multilinguist and artist, and also because she's only a 2nd year student, even she herself wouldnt know when to take a break and stop. naturally, there would be haters, people who think of her annoying, people who thinks she is a leech taking credit, people who think she's just sleeping her way through. there would even be some people trying to harass her or even try to ruin her. of course, she takes it all with a smile. and maybe at a fansign event, someone throws food at her as revenge for not replying to the fan in one of her tweets. but of course, she's strong. that's how she was even back then. this is no place to be weak. you dont deserve to show a sign of weakness or arrogance. you have to keep up with your image just like back then. instead, she's just forgiving which angers oberon. maybe obeguda also do a small commercial up in the mountains for filming, which naturally of course rains, ritsuka gets lost, knocked unconscious, oberon goes to get her despite other staff protests, when he finds her though its raining harder and he cant see but theres a small abandoned house nearby they could use for temporary shelter. they spend the time together warming themselves. augh fluff and angst moment basically but they talk more, there is more understanding...a majority of this post is basically obeguda now wtf.

for romaguda, i can think of ritsuka surprising romani with a really expensive slice of strawberry cake she gifts him with on a random day, romani tending to her injuries after she sprains herself and he catches her in time, ritsuka staying over at romani's place since she just missed the last train home. also romani doing his best to hide his merch of her as fast as he can with the unplanned visit from her. ritsuka also teasing him with 'roman-kun' as if they were classmates which would KO romani...then out of nowhere ritsuka one day hugs him tight on what was supposed to be a happy christmas for everyone. and she's just... really sad yet happy as she hugs him tight, (someone describing her expression to be 'romantic' back then). ritsuka tells romani how much she appreciates having him by her side and seeing him happy, living a relaxed life. of course, romani is confused but nonetheless he appreciates it and is flustered by ritsuka saying this. he doesnt know why she's suddenly soft towards him. softer than usual but he doesnt like seeing her look as if she was on the verge of tears. he doesnt truly know the answer until... he finds her sketchbook that was left in her classroom. he knows he shouldnt peek but hes curious... so he could just pretend that he didnt see it. her sketches are wild to say the least. theres somehow drawings of orleans in early century with... two identical women fighting with flags, companions and dragons, theres even rome drawn? she drew the argonauts? is that nightingale? she's cetainly scary.. theres even some knight of the round table too... was she a fan of myth and legend? then on the last page... romani sees an awfully familiar throne, with rocks floating about, black and red tendrils around stone white pillars, a huge band of light as well as... a man with white hair and dark skin but he couldnt see his face due to the man facing the throne, his hands stretched out into the sky as... rings float away from his grasp and there was ritsuka herself, drawn bloody and crying as she clutches at a massive shield on the ground and somehow.. somehow a pang of pain shoots right through him seeing this scene. he swallows. his hands grow weak, he carefully sets the sketchbook back on the table as he takes a moment to breathe. what was that? what was that? he doesnt know what to think except... it was familiar in a way he cant describe. nevertheless he looks back at the beautiful artwork again, this time seeing the cursive title and date "The Time of Parting has Come, He is the One who Lets Go of the World (12/25/20XX)" today, this piece was finished today, which was accomanied by ritsuka's signature under it. even though romani doesnt completely understand, he does understand the pain ritsuka was feeling when she hugged him earlier.

i also want to add edguda but i still have to think of what kind fo good position gankutsuou can take that allows him to be able to be close to her...

[thesinglesjukebox]

SHINEDOWN -"A SYMPTOM OF BEING HUMAN"

Something to say about the human condition!

[3.13]

Ian Mathers: Brah, help he out here: is being undistinguished and boring as fuck also a symptom of being human? [2]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Makes the Eminem song we reviewed earlier sound like the peak of musical agility. Even relative to the decayed standards of modern rock radio stalwarts, this is dire -- I'd go for the most recent singles from Finger Eleven, Avenged Sevenfold, Five Finger Death Punch, 311, and many other bands without odd numbers in their names before I opted for this one. You can hear the exertion in every minor move here. Melodically and lyrically, this is effortful music, trying its hardest to convey the weight of the world and the uplift of its "Normal is just a setting on a washing machine"-ass wisdom. The song is ultimately a paradox; you can at once hear all of the very human failings at play in this song's construction, but all of those disparate, repugnant choices come together to create something altogether inhuman. [1]

Aaron Bergstrom: I once got stuck in a traffic jam trying to leave a parking garage at the same time a Shinedown concert was getting out. This song is a pretty solid approximation of what that felt like. [2]

Harlan Talib Ockey: Come on down to the Shinedown Emporium! We have: 1) Uncanny valley processed vocals! 2) A synth pad that sounds kind of like strings! 3) Conflicting lyrics! (Is anxiety a special, exclusive ticket to a “lunatic ball”, or an ordinary “symptom of being human”?) 4) A hollow bid for as many listeners as possible, especially adult contemporary and country fans! Buy as many as you want; we’ll be here for just over four minutes, but it’ll feel like a lifetime. [2]

Taylor Alatorre: I think Brent Smith sees himself as performing a public service by watering down his firsthand account of a panic attack to make it palatable for Hot Adult Contemporary. There's a respectable logic to that; sometimes the "YOU ARE NOT ALONE" message needs to be skywritten in big block letters for it to get through, particularly in the parts of the U.S. where acts like Shinedown still reign supreme. On the other hand, the stab at universality may end up filtering out those who see themselves as, or know they are seen as, more than just "kinda weird." If everyone's invited to the "lunatic ball," including those who present as normally functioning members of society, then what is the point of labeling it as such? The answer may lie in post-grunge's strange place in the current landscape -- exiled from the mainstream, but not oppositional to anything in a meaningful sense. Genre reflexes being what they are, Shinedown can't avoid the ever-present temptation to prescribe a sold-out rock concert as a kind of collective therapy session. It's a quaint idea, in the sense that it needs to be preserved for those who are helped by it. [5]

Will Adams: Always a fun game when a song I'm hearing for the first time ends a line with "remember" and I have just a few seconds to guess which month it'll be rhymed with. (I guessed December. Bzzt.) Things don't improve from there, with Brent Smith making so many maudlin choices to describe the human condition ("the lunatic ball"?!?) that I was expecting a children's choir to appear near the end. (Bzzt.) [3]

TA Inskeep: With more pneumatic production -- and getting rid of the strings -- this could damned near be scaling the Country Airplay chart. Singer Brent Smith's pleading voice makes me wanna punch him in the throat, as do the terrible lyrics here. [1]

Isabel Cole: As someone who has in fact always been slightly awkward, kind of weird, there are moments where I can glimpse a version of this I might like; it scans as sincere, I think, and I'll always have a soft spot for songs offering up this kind of connection over the loneliest parts of ourselves, where cliche can work because it proves the point that none of us are as burdened by uniqueness as we might imagine ourselves to be. But those schmaltzy strings smack of a failure to trust that the song itself was enough to sell its own pathos, draining it of any power a sparser or beefier or otherwise less saccharine arrangement might have let it display, and the yelping vocal that totally lacks in any kind of dynamism doesn't help matters. Plus, "lunatic ball" is way too Joker-core to be forgivable.  [3]

Nortey Dowuona: Zach Myers's guitar line is a simple lick that keeps looping in the background as the piano and strings, arranged by producer and bassist Eric Bass, swirl around Brent Smith's inflexible and stolid voice, providing it a gravitas and weight it does not have alone. The issue is that because the guitar line is the core melodic information, it feels like an anchor to the first few bars, which feel trite and limp, barely able to move. The mere fact that it has to be drowned out by the piano, then the strings, then Barry Kersh's barely propulsive drums, is galling enough. The way the piano plays this lick comfortably and sweetly before choosing not to resolve is worse. It feels like a way to occupy Myers's hands while he and Bass sing background, a way to avoid him being sidelined entirely. A symptom of overloading the song with too much information. [4]

Andrew Karpan: I admittedly missed out on the chance of paying attention to these post-Nickelback butt rawk champions of the sunshine state during my teenage years, but this is very much the kind of thing that would have spoken to me then, a smooth, piano ballad that earnestly insists upon itself and that appears strangely banal in the cold light of adulthood.  [4]

Jonathan Bradley: More than for its pomposity and its voracious appetite for cliché (“coloring outside the lines,” “crystal clear,” unpack all your baggage,” “a ship of fools”), “A Symptom of Being Human” stands out for its unsettling competency. There’s little notable about yet more post-post-post-grunge glurge, but Shinedown’s strained-vocal, string-soaked balladry soars thanks to a structure built on precision engineering -- like a Predator drone, perhaps. That makes it remarkable but also lethal: any song can invoke “November Rain” and sound like it might have been played immediately afterwards on the radio in 1992, but only by knowing how to deploy a big chorus and an arpeggiated riff that starts on acoustic guitar and alchemizes into piano can it reach the grim realm of the actually repulsive. Call it the Hinder rule: ineptitude can’t produce a “Lips of an Angel.” [3]

Mark Sinker: This is how whiskered the “Ship of Fools“ metaphor is: Plato gives Socrates oblique recourse to it in book six of The Republic. Some two millennia later, Sebastian Brant made a German phrase of it, for the title of his much-translated hit novel in the high-blogging Gutenberg moment, just as the Reformation was grinding into motion. It was popular as a figure for statecraft and as a satire of religious conflict primarily because everyone could enjoy the image without having to agree which side of the argument it depicted. Today that enjoyment may have drained away a little: hard to tell in a context where melody and timbre and style and an unbroken line of other lyrical clichés are all so grating. There's some nicely tiny tinny little-mini echoes off at the edge of the vocal now and then, and then there's this clod in clown’s whiteface smirkingly bellowing how everyone’s mad here.   [4]

Katherine St. Asaph: While moving last year, I accidentally ripped some paint off the wall while taking down an adhesive hook. Taking the errant chip to Home Depot, I learned how surprisingly difficult is to find a color of paint that replicates the exact microshade of landlord off-white that was applied to the unit years ago, or at least something that blends in well enough to not jeopardize your deposit. Thus, I can appreciate the effort it took for Shinedown to recreate the radio fixtures of Hoobastank or Lifehouse or Train this faithfully. [5]

Alfred Soto: Declarations of woundedness disguised as pleas for solidarity are as old as the crucifixion, but when I want Nickelback I listen to Nickelback, m'kay? [2]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: The best, prettiest P!nk song I’ve heard in years!  [6]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[deep-hearts-core]

2004 - semifinal

originally posted 8/13/20

I'm back! After a brief break to hyperfixate on Dimension 20 (lol), I return to review all the songs from 2004! After this it will be less of a hurdle for me to write these because then there'll only be one show per year lol. Finland This could have been a lot worse, I think. Jari has an okay voice and the song, for its time, is alright. I definitely would hate this if it were performed more recently though. Backup singers were really out of tune in parts and the key change was SUPER awkward, and of course this falls into the category of "a confusing genre choice for this culture". But I don't, like, hate it. Belarus Not the best debut ever. The beginning is really strong and I love the guitar parts - the instrumental here is actually pretty good, even if the backbeat makes it feel a little dated now. But the chorus is underwhelming and the singer's voice is just terrible. It does what it's supposed to do which is make an impression and maybe emulate country music but also it just sounds bad. Switzerland Somehow this is worse than the entry before it. It's just tacky. Staging and styling are messy and ugly, and it sounded like the mic volumes weren't quite right. I won't rule out other songs being worse than this though.

Latvia This entry wants you to believe that the song is more harder rock than it actually is. It kind of leads you in with the drums at the beginning and the performers are certainly putting on a show but it's so much softer than it wants to be. It gets points from me for being in Latvian but that's kind of it. The fact is, it's just not memorable - like, I admit I have working memory issues and struggle to remember songs sometimes but there isn't anything here that makes the song stand out. Israel I simply don't vibe with it. I feel like this would have been better in a traditional belting register rather than David's falsetto. This one is also interesting because Israel has recently made a name for itself by sending weird shit, and this is weird shit masquerading as something totally normal. Andorra Styling here is atrocious and Marta is a little quiet sometimes, but in terms of the song itself it's actually one of the better ones. Staging is alright too - could have been better but it works. Portugal Not usually a fan of disco-inspired stuff, but this is alright. It's executed well.

Malta A very cute song about something that isn't necessarily cute? Good singers though and the stage team really leaned into the whole cute aesthetic and ran with it and I think in this case it worked. Transition out of the bridge was weird. It really says a lot that this was favored to win though. The 2000s were weird. Monaco I actually kind of love this. This might be my favorite so far. Maryon's vocals aren't stellar, but they're good, and the song holds even sixteen years later. I'm shocked this didn't do well, but like I said... the 2000s were weird. Greece I do not like it? Opening is weird and quiet, the chorus is repetitive and messy. And I don't know how old Sakis is in this but he looks like someone's uncomfortably buff dad. Ukraine Maybe this is a little weird to say having only seen eleven performances, but... this is the only song that could have conceivable won this year. It's energetic, it's original, it's a standout, it's a great song. I love watching it, I love listening to it. There is nothing to dislike here. Which is a huge deal because all of the other entries so far have been so disappointing... Lithuania Why are there so many Latinpop songs this year? This is what, the third? I mean, it's not the worst so far, but Linus and Simona have no onstage chemistry and the song doesn't impress in terms of, like, musicality and theory stuff.

Albania One of this year's stronger debuts. Anjeza doesn't have a lot of stage presence but she's not bad to watch and she controls her voice really well. The song... well, it's an early aughts entry, it's nothing great, but I'm into it. Cyprus The beauty in this is its simplicity. So many of the other songs this year are all about the show, so it's nice to have a song where the focus is on the song and not the staging. Not that staging-centered lives are bad, this is just a nice break. Lisa's a good singer but I guess the song does suffer a little from how young she sounds. North Macedonia Good vocals here. Song is nothing special - it stands out mostly because I cannot for the life of me figure out a time signature for this one. Staging is messy but there are a lot worse songs here so like... it's fine. Slovenia I mean, idk, I guess this is a nice enough duet. Their vocals work well together. It reminds me a lot of Lithuania 2015 for some reason? The kiss, the whimsical staging, idk. So maybe I like this a little more than most people would because that's a soft spot for me. Estonia I really enjoy this style of vocal music, and I love when countries go the traditional route, but I just feel like this could have been presented better. The guy on the drums was absolutely not necessary and I feel like he detracted from the performance a little bit. Croatia This entry doesn't try to be something it's not. It's straightforward and honest about what it wants from you, no surprises, just... a tacky English ballad. And sometimes tacky English ballads are okay! This also works because Ivan is a great singer imo. Denmark Yet another Latin song. Great. This is probably the best of the Latinpop entries though, just in terms of how I vibe with this song specifically as compared to Estonia and Lithuania. Good vocals, OK staging, but not a whole lot of charisma on the part of Tomas. Serbia & Montenegro I dunno, it's nice. The instrumental is GORGEOUS here and I think the staging was also really well done - it's not that this stage is hard to stage for, it's just that a lot of entries didn't really figure it out, and Zeljko's group was one of the few that did. But idk I'm not a huge fan of Zeljko's voice or the way he performs so that drags the song down for me a little. I liked his 2012 entry better. Bosnia & Herzegovina I like the energy here and I feel that Deen has a presence in this performance that he didn't really show off in Ljubav Je. But it's, like... it is what it is, and this is a bad song and bad staging. If I were in 2004 right now I would have probably really liked this, but as it is that's not where I am, so. Netherlands I enjoy how stripped back this is. Might be one of my favorite Dutch entries of the era - which, to be fair, most of the Dutch entries really sucked until like 2014. But the strong vocals, nice song, calming instrumental, and plain staging really make this something I enjoy - especially after In The Disco.

My personal qualifiers Ukraine Cyprus Netherlands Monaco Portugal Estonia Albania Croatia Serbia and Montenegro Slovenia Miscellaneous thoughts I really like these hosts? Maybe it's just because they're miles better than the 2005 ones but I'm enjoying their conversations a lot. Loved Switzerland's little impromptu performance in the green room. I really enjoy the drumming/dancing interval. Idk I'm kind of nostalgic for the era where semi intervals were just... some cultural dancing, instead of A Spectacular tm. Absolutely fucking baffled by them literally showing the points of 11-22 onscreen though. Like tf is up with that lol... not necessarily bad I am just so not used to it.

[lizzygrantarchives]

The Huffington Post, February 20, 2009

Lizzy Grant: I like things that go fast, things with bright colors, things that taste good. At Coney Island, you can get a Coca Cola, ride the roller coaster, and watch everybody.

New York City songstress Lizzy Grant makes her debut into the music world with a video for her single, "Kill Kill." Armed with her three-track EP, devastatingly retro-sexy look, and haunting, soulful voice, Grant is one to watch in 2009. Lizzy Grant is the kind of singer/songwriter that walks into your home and has no intentions of leaving. And just when you were about to draw an easy comparison to Cat Power, Billie Holiday, or Aimee Mann, Grant's voice pulls the proverbial rug right from under you.

Grant's music is impossibly original, her sound decidedly anti-genre: the songs on her splendid debut, Kill Kill offer an eclectic mix of jazz, pop, electronica, rock, blues and hopeful melancholy. Her videos are quirky, odd, magical and infatuated with Americana. And while scores of other artists attempt to craft pithy esoteric poetry, Grant's lyrics are wholly dark, elegant, and beautiful.

Where is the strangest place you've ever performed? Ever written a song?

Strangest performance: Alone in a basement for a handsome record executive. Strangest ever written: Back at his office while I was making out with him.

I love that Coney Island figures so much on this album, indirectly or otherwise. You feel the evocation of a place in Brooklyn, New York that's at once a symbol of the beautiful and macabre. A place that has this magical boardwalk but also a ghoulish House of Horrors. A place that's real but isn't -- a place that symbolizes escape. Can you talk about why the amusement park was a touchstone of the new record?

I like that, "...real but isn't." All the good stuff is real but isn't, myself included. Coney Island is a place people go to escape, but whatever you choose to be your reality is your reality. So, in a way it's just as real as anything else. I mainly let my imagination be my reality. Fantasy is my reality.

I never saw Coney Island when it had all its big attractions, but there was something desperate about the boardwalk, and I related. There was no end in sight to it, and there were people in bars you didn't know were there. Maybe the amusement park was the touchstone because I have such a history with cheap thrills. I like things that go fast, things with bright colors, things that taste good. At Coney Island, you can get a Coca Cola, ride the roller coaster, and watch everybody.

As an author I often tell people that I'm sometimes more influenced by a David Eggleston photo or a Nick Cave song as opposed to immersing in the work of other writers. In the end, I find my influences or inspirations where I can. If a song or image gets me where I want to go, I'm happy. So where do you find your influences and inspirations? Who or what affects the songs you write? The videos you produce?

It seems to be that way for me too. Mark Ryden's pictures drive me crazy, and Vegas makes me shine. Daytona and the Jersey Shore just kill me. Yes. Even pictures of other performers do it for me. I knew Elvis' songs would be the soundtrack to my life as soon as I laid eyes on his photograph. I know when I love something as soon as I see it. Then, I write about it. Speaking of Elvis, it's unfair not to mention the Beach Boys and The Flamingos as my other constant companions.

My mood affects the songs and videos I make the most. Only when I'm in a good enough mood will I write about, and film, myself. I definitely won't get on camera when I'm not feeling hopeful.

What I love most about Kill Kill is my inability to easily classify it, to place it in any one genre. It's blues, but it's jazz, and it's also pop. "Yayo," for instance, is more haunting and melodic, while "Gramma" has more of pop feel. When writing these songs, were you conscious of your sound's direction? Of what form each song will take?

Writing to me doesn't feel that much different from talking, and my new shrink says that I talk differently from most people he sees. Maybe that has something to do with why the songs sound unique.

I knew how the songs felt to me, but I was surprised when they translated the right way to other people. It's the only thing I've ever done the right way.

My producer, David Kahne, and me got along very well because he knew that I lived in my songs, and so he just tried to make them better. He asked me in a letter what I wanted the record to sound like, and I said, "I want it to sound famous, like a sad party." He thought that was a wonderful idea, and we began working the next day. I like to think we're birds of a feather.

Many artists today are deliberate in the way their image is packaged and how their music is positioned. Their sound is neatly manufactured; one sometimes wonders if lyrics were written by committee. And then there are other artists -- renegades and risk-takers. Their sound is a hybrid of genres; their videos are odd, magical, unexpected -- a visual representation of the songs and stories in the artist's head. I dare say that I'd include you in the latter. Your music is organic and daring in the way that artists who try to find their story, work out their obsessions, and find themselves, often is. Have you considered yourself an artist who refuses to color in the lines? How important is it for one to be as unpackaged as possible?

I guess I haven't colored in the lines of a corporate picture, but making up the rules for myself comes with just as many problems as following someone else's. It's not important to me to be unpackaged. If it looks like I don't know what I'm doing, it's because I don't. But, if someone came along with a better idea of how to do things, I would take it.

I think obsession is a good word to talk about. I live in my obsessions and then the music comes from there. Living that way and writing from that place doesn't make for a "color in the lines" mold. And yet, the songs and the videos and the image go together well because they all come from the same place. So, maybe I'm not deliberate about the packaging, but I am deliberate at trying to do things that I adore.

Would it be safe to say that the songs on Kill Kill tell the story of precocious, but strong-willed woman on display -- whose uncertain of herself and how unique she truly is -- trapped in a dismal trailer park, and her dreams of escape, of being whisked away by the good, decent man she deserves?

Well, I would say I do well on display. . . as long as I don't have to talk. So that part is true. But, no one has put me there. I know what I'm good at and what I'm not good at. I write about what I know, and I know about putting on a show.

I didn't feel trapped in a trailer park. I felt trapped before I got to the trailer park because I had nowhere to live. When I got my trailer, everyone there had the same taste as I did. We all liked giant, lush, fake flower gardens and liked to decorate the walls with streamers even if it wasn't our birthday. I couldn't have been happier there. Before that, I did dream of escaping. I always just figured it was gonna be a man who would take me away. I don't know if I deserve a good man, but I think about it sometimes.

Did you know that as with other Long Island barrier islands, Coney Island was virtually overrun with rabbits (which makes me think of children) in the 1600s -- Coney Island's name was actually derived from the Dutch Conyne Eylandt, and rabbit hunting was common until the resorts were developed? And then in the 1800s it became a resort, a refuge from daytrippers wanting to escape Manhattan summers?

I didn't know that! Saying that it reminds you of children reminds me of the story "Runaway Bunny." I love bunnies.

From American flags and classic cars in the "Kill Kill" to Calico Hills, Las Vegas, sparklers, Planet Hollywood and images of you as a flower child and Marilyn in "Yayo" -- your videos have such a wonderfully nostalgic, classic American feel. Even the way the videos are shot is retro -- at times you feel as if you're transported back to 1950s-1960s America. Can you talk a bit about how your videos are conceived and how it's a visual representation of the album?

Vegas is a place that seems magical to me. I'm very swayed by how things look on the outside. Though I have been burned by what's on the inside of them so many times -- don't get me wrong, but I still have love for something that hits my eye right. A flag waving or a Pontiac Grandamn -- I didn't even have to know what those things stood for to know they were beautiful.

I once had a boyfriend who talked about all the reasons why he loved flags, Rock-and-Roll, and America. I didn't know much about all of that, but I did love him and I wanted to be just like him. So everything in the videos -- the Vegas pyramid, the brides' smile, the groom motioning "cheers" -- they're all different expressions of the happiness I had when I loved a man who loved me and America.

Vegas and sparklers and the 50s are all things that are beautiful, and they're all a big part of my film world.

Originally published on huffingtonpost.com with the headline Singer/Songwriter Lizzy Grant on Cheap Thrills, Elvis, The Flamingos, Trailer Parks, and Coney Island.

[ladyymiisa]

ENTRANCED

summary: you’re japan’s most famous singer and hawks is your biggest fan

tags: hawks x f!reader, singer!reader, fanboy!hawks, feminine pronouns used for reader, fluff, hawks is such a loser i love him

author’s note: umm mha brainrot has been going crazy ever since the new season trailer dropped,, i might make a part two for this since im literally such a sucker for the popstar trope,, also this is such an indulgent fic for me i am so sorry chat

thinking about hawks.

hawks, who besides being japan’s number two hero, is also a man entitled to have his own passions and interests to indulge in, despite his incredibly busy line of work. and one of those interests is you.

radiant, talented, spectacular you, who japan had classified as its top favourite singer. rising to the tops in a short matter of time despite being a young adult, you’ve managed to make a name for yourself through your hard work. you had a certain image about you that lured people in, that made them want to see more of you.

you were absolutely gorgeous, with bright eyes that shone with excitement whenever you got on the stage, a smile that held nothing but affection for your fans as you talked to them during your meet-and-greets, and an aura so powerful that it made them want to have their eyes on you at all times. everyone was enamoured by you, and slowly but surely, hawks found himself caught in your love-net as well.

during one of his patrols (which was surprisingly peaceful considering the amount of people that usually stopped to either take a picture with him or ask for his autograph), he couldn’t help the whistle that fell from his lips upon seeing your image showcased on a luxurious shop’s glass window.

you had just recently done a collaboration with the brand, proudly showing off their clothes and accessories on your instagram stories—which he all hearted, by the way—and boy was he glad you did. the clothing embraced your body perfectly, hugging your curves and enhancing your attractiveness, as if you were made to wear them. you looked breathtaking, and hawks couldn’t find the strength to pry himself away from the glass window.

and don’t get me wrong, your appearance isn’t the only thing that lured him in. your voice won him over the second he decided to watch one of your music videos. the public wasn’t lying, your singing was mesmerising! despite how the music genre wasn’t particularly his favourite, the hero found himself going through all of your albums, singles and even listening to the songs you were featured on. after about three hours of continuous listening, hawks already had a playlist made with all of his favourite songs.

his favourite album is your first one. it really embraces your authenticity with its heartfelt lyrics and story behind it, about some of the hardest moments in your life. he remembers you saying in one interview that said album was the closest to your heart since it was the one that made you reach the tops, and also because it was the first album you wrote on your own. it was raw and sincere, much like the ones that came after, but it was clear that none could compare to the very first.

all in all, you could say that hawks is your biggest fan.

his apartment has a special corner in which he keeps all of your merch. from posters, vinyls, shirts and even exclusive plushies, this man has everything. sometimes he feels cringe for being such a diehard fanboy, but hey, he deserves to have the luxury of indulging in something as normal as having a small very big celebrity crush.

also, he definitely follows multiple stan accounts dedicated to you. pictures taken at any of your concerts? he has them saved. a very cool edit on tiktok of you while you’re performing? he’s hitting the like and favourite buttons immediately. like, this man spends countless hours looking at pictures of you on pinterest while he’s giggling and kicking his feet like a lovesick middle school girl.

and it’s no secret that hawks is your fan. almost everyone at his agency knows, especially since he makes no effort to hide it. not from his agency, and not from the media either. one time during a public interview, one reporter asked him if he had any favourite singers, in hopes of gathering more personal information about the hero, and hawks didn’t hesitate for a second before responding with, “y/n, of course! she’s incredibly talented and i love her music. i think i know all of her songs by heart, haha!” to which the media went wild.

of course, being the devious little shit that he is, hawks made the information public with the intention of gaining your attention. and to his delight, it did. not even a day after the interview was posted online, he woke up with two notifications from his instagram. the poor hero almost dropped his phone from ten feet up high in the air after reading the name of the account who messaged him.

y/nofficial

hey :)

heard you like my music, how about a free vip ticket to come meet me backstage after my next concert? <3

[thisaintascenereviews]

Brittany Howard - What Now

I’ve talked a lot about how there are albums and artists that I respect more than I actually like. Music, as with all forms of media, are subjective, being that your overall enjoyment is depending on your own taste and opinions, but you have to admit and admire when something is well made. You may not personally like it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t admire the artistry that went into making it. There are tons of bands I respect more than I like, because even if I can’t get into what they’re doing, I can see the vision. That’s how I feel about the new solo album from former Alabama Shakes singer and guitarist Brittany Howard entitled What Now. I’ll be honest — I never got into Alabama Shakes when they were around, but I do recall listening to their second (and final) album, 2015’s Sound & Color, but I don’t remember anything about it. It didn’t quite stick with me, but I could always admire how unique they were. I never listened to Howard’s debut solo album, 2019’s Jaime, but I was curious about What Now. I didn’t know what it would sound like, but I figured I’d check it out, at least along with Alabama Shakes’ critically acclaimed 2012 debut album, Boys & Girls. I will say that their debut album is absolutely fantastic, and I wish I would have listened to that years ago, because it’s a wonderful slice of blues-rock / southern-rock. I wish I liked What Now more, but that’s not to say this album is bad.

There’s a lot of craftsmanship on this album, and it’s clear that it’s got a lot going for it, especially when she’s got a massive amount of talent. For starters, her voice is really good and has this soulful sound to it, and she reminds me a lot of Prince, both in terms of her vocals and sound. I think the sound is where I respect this album more than I like it, because this album is very much in the vein of Prince’s sound, especially where he had the ability to weave between genres at the drop of a hat. This album is what I’d call “genreless,” especially where this album is influenced by rock, soul, pop, psychedelic, R&B, and the blues, among other things. This isn’t a very “catchy” album, and that could be one reason why it’s not resonating with me as much as it should. It’s not that this album is unlistenable, or even experimental, but it goes into more of an ambient and psychedelic sound that’s more focused on groove and mood, versus hooks and catchiness. There’s a place for that, and on certain tracks, there are some good hooks, such as “Red Flags,” “Prove It To You,” and “I Don’t.” I suppose it’s that the album doesn’t have a particular sound, and while it’s well put together and unique, its inconsistency kind of bothers me after a while. Just when I start to get into the album, it pulls me out when the album randomly goes into a different sound, only to go back to a sound I really like a few tracks later. It’s not the album is inconsistent on purpose, or that it doesn’t know what it wants to be, it’s more so that it crams so many ideas into 38 minutes. Normally I like short algums, but sometimes you need to expand your sound more, and this is a case where really expanding that sound and what she was trying to do would have worked.

I really want to love this album, and certain songs are great, so maybe this will be a case of the album needing time to grow on me. I loved Alabama Shakes’ debut album, now that I’ve heard it, and I wasn’t expecting this album to sound like that, especially when Howard shed the blues-rock sound a decade ago, and I do appreciate the sound here. I like a lot of what this album does, but it doesn’t feel complete, like the album moves between sounds quickly, and doesn’t give the listener a lot of time to breathe in between songs. There are some cool crystal bowl playing that happens on the album, at least in between songs, but they just come and go. I still enjoy this album a lot, warts and all, because it has some cool ideas and Howard sounds great, but it is a bit too short, and there’s an inconsistent sound. I’d recommend this album if you want a solid album that has a diverse sound, even if some sounds are highlighted more than others, but it’s a good album and I respect the craftsmanship behind it. I’d say that I respect more than I ultimately like it, but I’d still say I enjoy it. I always have fun with this album when I listen to it, even if it hasn’t stuck with me as much as I’d want it to. I’d check it out, it’s a solid record.

[musicarenagh]

Breaking Barriers: Braska's “I Can't” Redefines Pop Resistance In a world rife with easy beats and simpler narratives, "I Can't" by the Italian virtuoso Braska emerges as a beacon of resilience and authenticity. This single, ripe with Braska's wonderful female vocals that hum with the gravity of Florence Welch yet dance with the lightness of Robyn, is not just a song—it's an anthem. https://open.spotify.com/track/4PAScVWawrmHlGf471jY10 Produced by LoZar—the steady hand behind Braska’s expanding sonic universe—"I Can't" drives forward with an undeniably pop sensibility but eschews the genre’s oft surface-level engagement for deeper waters. Herein lies its magic: merging mainstream appeal with heartfelt messages about strength amidst societal and personal injustice. The production marries sweeping synths to robust percussions, creating a soundscape vast enough for Braska’s voice to soar high on her declarations of continuous fight against adversity. The theme rings clear—resistance in motion; it serves as both dedication and rallying cry for those who've ever felt their backs against the wall due to prejudice or pressure to conform. Drawing lines from her previous works featured on Rai Sport —”Tu Mi Hai Visto Così” and “Questo Mare”—it's evident how much authenticity pulsates through everything Braska touches; these singles having laid down early markers of her commitment to unadulterated expressions. And yes, while they showed promise, "I Can't" cements that potential into something palpable—a meteoric rise in both message delivery and musicality. [caption id="attachment_54186" align="alignnone" width="750"] Breaking Barriers: Braska's “I Can't” Redefines Pop Resistance[/caption] Sitting comfortably at 25 years old, this singer-songwriter from La Spezia isn’t just making music; she’s sculpting her narrative directly into Italy’s pop culture consciousness without sacrificing integrity for mass appeal—an act itself resembling resistance. It reflects an understanding that sometimes you can’t stop—not because you lack the desire but because your convictions leave no room for retreat or silence in face of wrongs. Drawing connections would perhaps undersell what Braska is achieving here; however fans of strong evocative voices like Sia or empowerment anthems à la Lady Gaga might find themselves right at home within “I Can’t”. Yet comparisons aside, there exists immense value in allowing "I Can't" its distinct space—a carved niche reminding us all why stopping isn’t always an option when facing injustices. Indeed, if this release sends any message loud and clear across the echoes of modern Pop corridors: it is that silence remains complicit—and at least according to Braska--that simply can’t continue. Follow Braska on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

[echoesofadream]

the album really does suck ass… def the worst our of all the bts solos sadly. like i don’t even like jm like at ALL but his album is leagues above jk’s. sad

it seriously doesnt even sound like HIM like it sounds like songs by and for other artists but sung with jungkook's voice, who of course gives his all but it's still so terribly beneath him. like listening to hate you im like am I listening to Shawn Mendes right now? like my friend pointed this out but hes just too good at copying so its really like, I HAVE heard this song before and it was by fukcing Justin Bieber or ed Sheeran or who the fuck and it was overplayed on the radio the summer of 2017 or something idk. too sad to dance sounds like some shit hit song by some boring pathetic one hit wonder sometime in the 2010s like. some dull male who thinks he can sing and that being quirky and self deprecating in his music means it isnt absolutely terrible. well it is. there is no soul there is no personality this is the most generic mainstream shit thats ever been produced I believe. closer to you and please dont change are so jarring cause what the fuck did they make him sing now????? this is not HIM. I dont mean that he cant do whatever he wants or sing whatever genre he wants; I mean there is absolutely NOTHING of him in these songs, he just copied the way songs like these are supposed to be sung and he did it brilliantly because he is an amazing artist and singer but it is almost painful how little of himself thats in it.

I feel like even with the other members that didnt write and produce themselves they still got to keep their own aura. not to mention quality. FACE is straight up like a masterpiece (even tho it like personally did not impact me that deeply) and layover is very lowkey but still so very Kim Taehyung you know (and I do like layover second most of all solo projects and yes jungkooks is still my favorite bc of snty only I guess this is what they meant about being biased?). so its like. is jungkook their automatic singing machine they can just give whatever trash they want to? hes just supposed to chew it up and sing to give them cheap bucks? like did they even try?

for jungkook though I accept his choices and do not ask anything more from him, he's worked so hard on this and I am so so proud of him. im so thankful for him and his beautiful voice. I wanna end this not being a hater so

STANDING NEXT TO YOU SONG OF THE YEAR SINGER OF THE UNIVERSE BEST SINGER AND ARTIST IN THE WORLD JEON JUNGKOOK

[thebandcampdiaries]

An interview with Nic Nassuet

We had the opportunity to ask singer-songwriter Nic Nassuet a few question. Keep reading, as he explores his unique way to combine punk with folk and dark aesthetics!

“Your music has been described as a unique blend of dark and haunting aesthetics combined with folk roots. How did you come up with this distinctive style, and what inspires you to create such genreblending music?” Great question.  The short answer is that I didn’t come up with anything.  I didn’t even know that I could write music, but sometimes things show up in my head and emit this almost inaudible neonatal cry to come into being.  I hear songs in my dreams, mostly, but I also hear them throughout the day at random.  I have to stop and hum them into my phone then figure out what instruments they are and how to play them later.

“She Rides Moonlight” is a good example.  I had never even touched a mandolin before but ordered one because that’s what the voice said to do.  When it arrived it was in tune and “She Rides Moonlight” immediately came out of my hands as I unboxed it.  That’s what the music wanted.  It needed a mandolin to make that song come through me even though I don’t know the first thing about the instrument.  I don’t know where it comes from.  Sometimes it can remain silent for years.  Those can be dark years… “Could you tell us about the creative process behind your track 'Pact'? What motivated you to explore its particular theme?” Pact just fell out of the guitar one afternoon, and the lyrics flowed from there.  During that period lots of things were coming to me.  I don’t believe in ghosts, and I don’t disbelieve in them either, but I was sitting on the bed one day doing something on my laptop and a presence, as clear as sunlight, showed up and started singing her story in my head.  I wrote down what she sang about being entombed in a stone wall on her wedding day as her mother leapt into the sea out of grief, then I went to the guitar and immediately found the chords.  I’ve never played those chords before.  I wouldn’t know how to find them if you paid me to.  I don’t know notes and chords.  That song was “Immured” and it did really well.  I hope to re-record and re-release it pretty soon.  I have some great Grammy nominated string musicians on board. Pact wasn’t as clear a presence, it was sort of like catching scents in the air.  You sit there, and the sounds appear in your mind, and if you relax your critical ear and just accept that it is happening, and listen in a relaxed state, those sounds form words and then you realize the theme of the piece.  Sometimes it is a real surprise to me.  I can’t sit down and say “I’m going to write a song about this topic,” and have it work.  Every single time I have done that it has been just awful.  I wish I could do that, like composers do.  “Your covers of Misfits classics, like 'Die Die My Darling,' showcase a fusion of punk and folk influences. How did you discover your interest for both genres?-

I’ve always loved the sound of acoustic guitar.  My mother used to play and sing for me as a child, and I wanted to be able to do that, too.  I’ve never been into folk music, to be honest.  I love some of what I hear in that genre, it just isn’t what I put on my playlists.  I found my love for punk as a pre-teen.  I hated school, and teachers, and the entire concept of being “moulded” by this hallucination called “society” into what someone else thought it was best for me to be.  Punk was irreverent back then.  The Misfits were especially irreverent.  These were themes that I would have been grounded or suspended for discussing at home or in school, yet they were singing them loudly and it sounded like damn good rock and roll!  I was hooked.  I guess that when you have an angry anti-conformist heart, and an acoustic guitar, this is sort of the end result, LOL. “Your vocals in 'Pact' carry a strong storytelling quality, akin to folk and blues traditions. When writing songs like this, do you come up with the music first or do the lyrics come first?- Thank you.  The music almost always arrives first.  I hear that, then sometimes I get other parts or pieces of the song later, sometimes months later.  Often some vowel sounds, or a phrase of a chorus will come through on the music and then the lyrics kind of build themselves around that. “The connection between 'Pact' and the old House of Blues on Sunset Strip, along with Robert Johnson's legend, is intriguing. Could you delve deeper into the significance of this connection and how it influenced the creation of the song?"- If it had influence over the creation of the song, I don’t know that I should really be talking about it. I didn’t know that the house of blues was made from steel taken from the intersection where Robert Johnson sold his soul.  I didn’t even know who Robert Johnson was..  Pact had come to me a few days before that first show at the House of Blues and I was hoping to premiere it to its first audience somewhere cool.  We were invited to play in the foundation room at the House of Blues, which was a private club that cost thousands a year to be a member of.  I had been there once before on invitation of the owner back when I was an 18 year old private investigator and it was wall to wall celebrities back then.  I was excited to return as a musician.  It felt really meaningful. I didn’t know that it was the opening night of the Sunset Strip Music Festival, or that the House of Blues was the opening venue for the Festival, so we were surrounded by big names doing professional things and it all came as a total surprise.

Out in front there was a sign that said “This House of Blues is made from steel taken from the intersection where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil,” or something like that. I took a picture of it that I’ll send to you.  The sign, and building are gone now. I had come prepared with a song about soul selling at the crossroads, and that song carries instructions in the Hoodoo tradition if you listen closely to the lyrics.  The instructions in the song “Pact” are to take a song with you to the crossroads as an offering to make the deal, and unbeknownst to me I had arrived at the most infamous crossroads in music history on the most devil beloved street in rock music history along with my song-gift.  I guess it was prophetic in a way. After that show we ended up taking our first red carpet pictures right where all the big names had been.  Over the next few months my dear friend, who was a guitar tech to the biggest names in the industry, said “I’ve never seen any indie artist blow up as big as you did after your first release.” Do you have any plan to tour in support of this release?

I didn’t have any plans for it, but it looks like something is brewing.  I’ve got a release party for “Pact” at this awesome spot in Topeka, Kansas called “Two Wolves”.  It’s a really groovy art collective that attracts some ridiculously talented musicians.  We’re going to throw a fun early Halloween party and bring in some special guests.  I was invited to perform at a benefit on October 27th, the Friday before Halloween, and I’m completely blown away by the fact that I just found out that I’m playing a gig with the former singer of the Misfits next month.  I haven’t played a show since the Pig and Whistle on Hollywood Boulevard the night before the pandemic shut down all of the venues for a couple of years, so it’s a bit overwhelming.  I guess that the music wants a tour and wherever the music leads I have no choice but to follow.  Everything collapses and degrades when I ignore the voice, and it seems as though every impossible wish is granted when I listen to it.

Thanks so much for your time and for listening.  You do great work.

https://www.instagram.com/nicnassuet/?hl=en

[thepermanentrainpress]

UNDER THE RADAR: JANUARY 2023

Our inaugural Under the Radar of 2023! Don’t sleep on these releases from eachothersmothers, Sindy Hoxha, Fritz Hager, joss lockwood, Other People, and Ariana Fig.

1) eachothersmothers - “Dead Daddy Disco”

A lack of a chorus doesn’t hamper “Dead Daddy Disco,” instead offering a more free flowing dialogue. In your face and impulsive vocally, I love how abrasive yet groovy it sounds as whole. The lyrics take a darker tone and speak of finding companionship with others after trauma and tragedy; recovery and reprieve is a journey that can be shared, but is ultimately personal (“Distrust takes a toll on your soul / There’s some things you can’t control”).

The band was inspired by disco and “a slight country twang,” but you can still hear their always eclectic mishmash of punk, electronic and funk. Their raw energy is perfect for their informal talk of reaction, guilt, friction, and fate. While things aren’t always well and dandy – sometimes it can be easy to release some tension, relate to good music, and just dance.

Dead Daddy Disco by eachothersmothers

Written by: Chloe Hoy

2) Sindy Hoxha - “feeling blue”

The latest single from Albanian singer and songwriter Sindy Hoxha is an alluring, deeply emotional pop-ballad akin to early Adele and recent Billie Eilish. Now based in Brooklyn, New York, Hoxha creates music regularly, seeking to bring together her cultural background with “the sad pop genre.” I feel like these influences are definitely present in “feeling blue,” a refreshing take on the genre as it strips down the production to let Hoxha’s voice pull at your heart.

Hoxha’s vocals are the star of this track with her vibrato creating a rich rumble to each line she sings. If you’ve just experienced heartbreak or loss — especially if things ended bittersweet — this song is the perfect addition to your playlist. Passionate chords on the piano are the only thing that accompany Hoxha’s harrowing lyrics and raw vocals. The single does a sad pop song well, and sings about the encompassing feeling that is releasing the sadness in a way that’s familiar.

Written by: Alexa Tarrayo

3) Fritz Hager - “Caroline”

Fritz Hager is one of my favourite American Idol contestants in recent seasons, and he’s certainly coming into his own as an artist.

On "Caroline," the narrator sheepishly pieces together the events leading up to a one-night stand—the woman’s name, too. Hager's tone is soft yet has a lot of power behind it. The guitar riffs are fun and the backbeat sunny. Our protagonist does get his happy ending – albeit humorously with a little help from the local barista (Hager’s red and blue striped Idol sweater also makes a cameo in the video!). “Caroline” is catchy, crunching pop rock with butterfly feels.

Written by: Natalie Hoy

4) joss lockwood - “lucky”

British Columbia-based vocalist, joss lockwood, explores a foray into the R&B genre with her latest decadent single, “lucky.” The song adds some diversity to lockwood’s already impressive musical palette that features pop and hyperpop. It’s a sensual track drawing comparisons to the holy trifecta of mellow girl R&B: Summer Walker, H.E.R., and SZA.

The song kicks off with atmospheric synth notes and lockwood’s vocals crooning in just before the bass hits. The beat to the song is something you’ve probably heard before, but that does not take away from the integrity of the track itself. The synth, bass, and snare create a dark but playful soundscape that compliments lockwood’s sultry vocals, making this single one for late night playlists.

Written by: Alexa Tarrayo

5) Other People - “Burning”

Vancouver post-punk outfit Other People released their new single, “Burning,” in December. Its crux is one of human nature: learning, loving and loss, always in debt to each other (“If you leave it, it’ll curl up and die / Try to have it just to say goodbye”). Frontman Mark Crickmay’s vocals are decadently ominous, while new wave synthesizers and spry angular guitars forge a rather hopeful melody. The mix of traditional and alternative sounds is humbling; melancholy, yet clinging to daylight breaking through the overcast.

Burning by Other People

Written by: Natalie Hoy

6) Ariana Fig - “Punchline” 

"I can play pretend / even though you never asked / Don’t have those type of friends / cause they never seem to last.”

Fig has a smoky, contemporary feel in “Punchline,” a song of self-sabotage and deep emotion. Its power is layered in desperation and longing. While it details not wanting to be the “brunt of someone’s joke,” the attention coveted is well-intended; I see it as a lack of a healthy relationship, with needs and attachment styles that don’t align at a given time.

Her voice is rich and compelling, a depth both remorseful and soured reaching for reality and true connection. The single is an aching alternative pop, pleas understood and of importance—increased by the harsh drum beats. I like the dramatic air that follows, one that is anxious and empathetic towards the main character. Maroon is out now.

Written by: Chloe Hoy

[ratherbefangirling]

Blue Side

Genre: Fluff, Comfort, Idol AU, Established Relationship, Secret Relationship. Sprinkles of Angst.

Pairing: Hoseok x Reader

Summary: Sometimes being JHope is hard. So he chooses to become your boyfriend and reflects on your relationship so far.

Hoseok was Tired. Exhausted. Stuck.

As satisfying tours were they left him feeling empty at times. The sadness was probably because all his endorphins were exhausted. He loved his job there was nothing to say about that really. The dancing, the music, his members, army everything he couldn't imagine a life that wasn't this.

Still he needed to feel grounded. He couldn't go to his family because they worried too much as he tossed out all the stress he'd accumulated in his down time and the members were in the same boat as him and it didn't feel right to focus about these transient feelings when there were things that needed to be done, issues that needed to be solved.

Maybe that's why he had found you and then kept you, despite the danger of a scandal that loomed over like a dark cloud.

Meeting you had been pure luck. Due to the odd timings of his job he opted for distant learning. You were in the same course as him. All his classmates and teachers had to sign an NDA. He had missed a lot of classwork and had asked the professor for help. The professor had led him to you.

Why did you help me, y/nie.

Because and don't laugh at me.. I thought you were Cute.

Oh our precious y/nie.

Oppa!!

Teaching him he admits was no easy task. He was a good dancer, rapper and singer. Sometimes referred to as the golden hyung in his team but studying was never his cup of tea. Still you worked hard to explain to him, to send him your personal notes, even agreeing to teach him in person before a big quiz.

Hoseok couldn't control his nerves. His manager was waiting outside the cafe for your arrival. The sound of the door opening alerted him to your arrival. He liked your neat and pretty style. You were dressed casually except for your earrings which complemented your outfit but stood out.

"Good morning Hoseok ssi." You say and he is enamoured by your voice.

"Y/n ssi thank you for agreeing to teach me."

"Don't worry about it it gave me a chance to get out of my house and haven't you heard of the saying one learns by teaching."

The next few hours were spent going through the text material. Both of you had some cafe specials. You even insisted on paying for your food but he said it was only fair he paid since you were here on his request to which you ultimately agreed.

You smiled at him brightly. And that was the first strike.

His logical brain bolted out.

Soon those meetings increased though inconsistencies and sporadic until the course was coming over and he didn't want it to be the last time you both met.

Can I.. I mean to say... if its alright with you let's hang out huh. See each other if we're free.

Later He'd confess to Jimin and Jimin would roll over the floor laughing.

"Hyung that's now how to you talk to a girl.. let alone one you like."

"I'm not. I don't know ok. The only girl I've really talked to is Noona and our Staff."

"Poor hyung." Jimin says still clutching his stomach.

Hoseok enters your house with the spare key you've given him. Putting it in the keybowl near the entrance over the shoe rack from which he takes out his slippers. It's a small one bedroom apartment. The balcony door is left open. He rushes to close it. You had a habit of opening the doors to your balcony.

To let the natural air come in. You claimed.

There is a new knitted woolen blanket on the sofa. He wonders if you bought it or made it. You had told him you wanted to make something. Last time he went to tour you'd embroidered two cusion covers. Your hobbies were vast and ever changing. It reminded him of Jungkook.

He goes to the kitchen. The unwashed pile is huge and the trash is left overflowing from the bin. He sighs. Often times you'd neglect doing the work and he had to remind you of it. Sometimes your phone calls consisted of you cleaning the house while he worked or talked about his work. The first few times He'd been offended that you'd do housework as he talked to you.

You'd explained later post argument that you felt grounded by his presence. That staring at computer screens all day hurt your eyes so it literally caused tears to look at the screen continuously. Doing the chores allowed you to look away for long enough that it wouldn't end up hurting your eyes.

Your bedroom is both better and worse. Your bed is unmade. The members had made him immune to this. Your closet was clean and sorted but your laundry chair was filled to the brim. There were sticky notes everywhere on the walls but more obvious was the latest wall painting you'd done just after you both confessed your feelings.

Love is Hope.

You had put strings on top of the writing and stuck the pictures he'd taken of you from his polaroid camera. There were pictures of food you ate together. His hands in yours. The pic of your shoes when you'd matched. Some silhoute pictures. On top of which was your hope world poster he'd signed for you. It was his favourite wall in the house.

Today though he didn't look much at it and simply dived into your bed and got under the covers. He didn't need you to be there to be comforted. The proof of your existence alone was enough.

You spotted Hoseok's shoes as you entered the house. The lights were off which meant he was sleeping. You turned on the mood lighting that had actually been a gift from your boyfriend. After changing clothes you decided to tackle the dishes which were piling up. You also defrosted the chicken you planned to cook today.

You were seasoning the chicken when Hobi came out of the bed and wrapped his arm around you.

"Hello Cutie." He said.

"Hi boyfie." You replied not looking up yet.

The room was cooler than the bed and goosebumps arose on his skin. He stuck closer to you to steal your body heat.

"Let me put this in the oven then I will come out. Do you want something to drink." You say.

"I will take it myself. Come soon." He says and opens the fridge. The jar of fresh orange juice is filled. You probably freshly squeezed it for him because you know how he avoids packaged juices because of his diet.

When he's more awake he will make a salad to accompany the meat for dinner he thinks. You busy yourself in grinding ingredients to make a good gravy to accompany the roast. You take out the pan add a little oil and add the ingredients, cook it a little before adding water and letting it simmer.

"Remind me to check it in 20 minutes." You tell Hobi and he nods and puts a timer on his phone. He had been looking for a movie to watch and now you takeover the job as he looks through his messages. There aren't many just some of the members sending jokes and things. Couple messages from their music director and a message from his mother asking how he was doing. He replies to his mother's message and then concentrates on being there in the now.

"There's literally no movie which looks like fun." You whine. Hoseok continues scrolling wordlessly "We could watch an English one." You joke.

You had learned English because of your job in the embassy. Joking that if you got tired enough of the long distance you would accompany him on tour as their official translator. Or if you got caught by the fans they could fight rumors by saying you were just his tutor. You had pulled out an incredibly cheesy 'Come be my teacher' at him and laughed so hard. He didn't think you were funny and he let you know. You just asked him to cheer up and thankfully didn't make that joke again.

Strike two

But never in a million life times would he admit that he found it cute.

Sometimes when he thought about it he admired your courage in dating him with all the risks and limitations. What he appreciated the most was you treated him as him you never underplayed his job but you did not focus on it either. He has met a lot of people who cannot focus past the JHope and that is a terrible spot in any of his personal relationships.

Hoseok stretches to move his stiff muscles.

"Do you need me to take out the massager." You ask as your hand finds a way to massage his stiff shoulders.

"My body is stretched. Nothing new it needs time to go to its normal state."

"Alright." The timer rings." My time has come." You say and go back to see your gravy.

Hoseok joins you and makes salad and toasts a couple of bread slices you like to have with the roast.

"Taste test." You say bringing a spoon towards him.

He opens his mouth and sips, humming thoughtfully. "It's good."

You also take out a small piece of chicken and try shredding it. Dipping it in the gravy you taste it. It needs a bit more time.

"You want French fries." You ask.

"Yes." He says after some thought.

"Finally I get to try an airfryer." You tell him. " I hope it's good."

You read the instruction manual once more as Hoseok takes out fries from your freezer.

The majority of the cooking behind you, you both wind down on the sofa. One of your playlists playing in the background.

Jimin calls him, he's the only member who knows about you for now other than Namjoon who knew he had a girlfriend but nothing more than that.

"Hello Hobi Hyung, hello Y/n-ssi " he greets as he sees you in Hoseok's background.

"Hello Jimin-ssi all good?" You ask.

"Yes yes... how are you enjoying your day off hyung?"

"Nothing much I slept earlier and now I'm going to have the roasted chicken y/n is cooking."

"Lucky you. I just started another diet so nothing but salad for dinner." Jimin informs.

"Is it that or are you too lazy to wash dishes."

"Ahh hyuung." Jimin whines cutely. "Atleast don't ruin my reputation in front of Y/n."

There's movement in Jimin's background which alerts Hoseok.

"Who is it?" Hobi asks.

"It's ggukie." Jimin replies then proceeds to talk with Jungkook. "Ok hyung I will talk to you later." He says before hanging up.

He looks up and you've finished laying the table but you lie collapsed on the sofa.

"Come let's eat. Also wash up before you eat because you won't shower after eating." Hobi says.

"Oppa at least you could be nice when you come visit me after months of not seeing each other."

Hobi sobers immediately.

"I..am ... I didn't mean it that way."

"It's fine. I will take a quick shower then." You say and march towards the bathroom.

Hoseok plugs the hairdryer. So that he could help you dry your hair. Hopefully he won't tangle them like he did last time.

You are out in half an hour. Drying your hair with a towel. You smile as you see Hoseok ready with the hairdryer.

"No need to do it Hobi Oppa. You're tired too."

"Never tired for my girlfriend." he says.

And you giggle. Your heart flutters every time he calls you his girlfriend.

You sit infront of the mirror and look at him as he dries your hair carefully. His face in fierce concentration makes you want to coddle him.

Once he's done you both sit together to eat.

Before there is a bite in his mouth his phone rings again and you frown. You don't like it when he's being interrupted while eating.

The only reason Hoseok picks up is because it's Namjoons call and it usually means business

"Hoba? Yes So there's a new choreographer and I'm struggling with the changes in choreography and I hate to bother you on your day off but I think we need to call a group meeting on this."

"Fine we'll do that but I'm busy right now let's talk later."

"Are you at home?"

"No I'm not at my parents house."

"So at you're girlfriend's which I'm not supposed to know about."

".... yes."

"Must be cool. She must be happy you're back from tour. I think I need some tips. How does she manage a secret long distance relationship with a workaholic. Anyhow I won't take more of your time. See you whenever. Goodnight."

"Yeah. Goodnight."

Namjoons words ring in his head as he watches you eat infront of him. You're pretty , he thinks. You have a decent job. You're kind and funny. You could easily be dating a decent guy who didn't hide you from the world, instead you ended with him.

It was a tough conversation to have knowing he was the one who pursued you . He had discussed with you or rather told you that it was going to be a secret and if it got out then he'd choose his career over you.

Now that he thinks about it. How cruel had he been. Logically it was right. Practically that would be for the best for both of you.

He wasn't a romantic person by nature. Nor a thrill seeking one. Out of his members he was the least likely to be in the situation he'd ended up being in.

You came in his life and broke down all of his rules.

"Oppa, what is it? Do you have to go. Do you have time to eat. Should I pack it for you." You ask.

His heart bursts with affection for you. He gets up from the chair, leans over and kisses your forehead and pats your head.

"No. Its not that."

"What happened?"

"I just.. I'm thinking about how lucky I'm to have you."

In response you shy away from his gaze.

"How.. how do you do it? .. date me I mean."

"Oh it's not that tough. When I'm alone I pretend you're my imaginary boyfriend who come to life if I pray hard enough. The gifts help though." You say.

He's shocked by the sudden change of atmosphere.

"Ofcourse I'm going to have to spoil my princess so that she doesn't forget about her very real boyfriend." He says cutely.

You giggle.

Strike three. He's really really in love with you.

And here with you he feels all his blue fading away.

I think I'm slightly emotionally attached to this because every time I come to edit it / read it I feel soft.

Authors Note 📝

To be noted this was written before festa 22 but its kinds of cool I had the idea to write a blue side inspired fic bc of hobi vlive I which (he had blond hair) admitted about having through a tough time. Hope you enjoy this 💙💜

I was going to release it on hobi's birthday but the 'more' release seems appropriate.

Being Domestic together is like part of my love language.

Anyhow Boyfriend Hobi. *sighs*

Taglist : @mwitsmejk

[ariesjupiter]

Mitski Birth Chart Reading

This is just my interpretation based on Mitski’s birth chart and what I know of her music. Let me know if you have any suggestions of someone I should make a post on next! If you’re interested, I offer natal chart readings, just check my pinned post!

Libra sun: In terms of basic personality and ego, Mitski is focused on creating balanced, harmonic relationships. Intimate, one-on-one relationships are a major part of her identity. Libra is ruled by venus which represents love and beauty. After all, she is known for her lyrics relating to her romantic relationships. The lyric “I love everybody because I love you” is so profoundly Libra to me. She is friendly and charming. She sees herself reflected and other people and people see themselves reflected in her (for better or worse). Venus also rules the arts and Mitski is a natural artist in every sense of the word. Her music sonically is very unique, inventive, and creative as she experiments with mixing different genres. This is influenced by her sun in the 11th house. Sun in the 11th house also indicates an emphasis on friendships and memberships of certain groups and communities. It also indicates an importance of her hopes and dreams. Her sun in 3° explains why she is such a talented writer, communicator, and lyricist. Peak libra sun culture: “Young adult romance is the shit” (a real quote from the queen herself). And let’s not forget her iconic quote from 2016: “I’m a libra so my sexuality is essentially “you can really be any gender as long as you treat me like a princes.” Truer words have never been spoken.

Capricorn moon: Despite how personal her music is, Mitski is a rather private and reserved person, particularly when it comes to expressing her emotions. Also, Capricorn is associated with the father and she has been known to be especially private regarding her dad’s career. She is serious and intense with emotions but can sometimes get detached. The emphasis is on having control over her feelings. She is ambitious and a practical person. Her emotions are connected to her career. Those who do not know her well may see her as cold. In temperament she tends to be melancholic. Emotionally mature and wise beyond her years. Straightforward and honest with her expression. She is dependable, loyal, hard working, & realistic. Emotional fulfillment is often tied to achievement and success. Her moon in the 2nd house and 2° suggests material comforts make her feel safe. With the 2nd house being associated with venus, she is able to express her emotions in an artistic way. Could be protective over material objects. Sentimental. Music has a big impact on her emotions and mood. Peak capricorn moon culture: “I didn’t really feel anything. I’ve stopped feeling things for a long time” - Mitski, The Fader Interview, 2017. In all seriousness, I hope my capricorn moons are doing good.

Virgo mercury: Mitski is practical and detail oriented when it comes to communication and matters of learning. She takes the time to choose the right words to convey her thoughts. She is clear and concise. Mercury is in its sign of rulership here. Her mercury in the 10th house suggests that she will be known for her communication style. Has a lot of thoughts but is also organized. Analytical. Mitski likes making lists. Loves to give advice. Mercury is in 16° (cancer degree) and she has a soft spoken voice. Talks about the past and her roots (cancerian themes).

Virgo venus: In love, Mitski will assume a caretaking role and will gladly help her partner finish mundane tasks and chores. A devoted and faithful lover. Love is about the mundane and routine details of life. Love is about service. Acts of service tend to be virgo venus’ main love language. She wants to help improve her partner’s life. She is patient and observant. Values love that is simple and authentic. Appreciates a partner with whom she can have intellectual conversations. May have a tendency to be too critical on herself when it comes to love. Venus rules aesthetics & style and she tends to have a modest fashion sense. Mitski has voiced her interest in astrology and how she has asked people she’s interested for their birth times lmao. Her venus is in the 11th house, she treats a lover like she would treat a friend. In fact, romantic love probably equates to platonic love in her book. She has her venus in 24° which is a pisces degree, which explains this natural interest in astrology.

Gemini mars: Could be impatient because she moves quickly. Efficient. Has a lot of goals and likes to keep busy. She thrives when she talks to others and exchanged ideas. Likes to multitask. Very versatile. Probably has a flirty, bubbly energy when she’s attracted to someone. Attracted to intellect. Desire to see things from multiple perspectives. Gemini rules the hands so she’s skilled with playing instruments and writing. Likes to try new things. Witty and humorous. Could have nervous energy or fidget often.

Leo jupiter: The planet of luck and expansion in Leo is a big indicator of fame. Her jupiter is also in the 9th house and in 7°. Jupiter in the 9th indicates being born in a different country from where you reside now. Mitski is biracial and has lived in multiple countries growing up. She loves to learn, particularly about other cultures and ways of life. She is open minded, philosophical and values freedom and being independent. She attracts good fortune when she travels (touring!) and also when she focuses on partnerships/intimate relationships (7°). Combining this energy, Mitski attracts luck when she acts dramatically, demonstrates/teaches her knowledge, expresses herself artistically, shows her warm hearted and sometimes stubborn side, & takes chances, shows her bravery, and takes the lead. Be the Cowboy is big leo energy 🤠

Capricorn saturn: Mitski is responsible, practical, goal-oriented, and cautious. With saturn in the 3rd house, she probably had to grow up quickly and become mature at a young age. Capricorn saturn people tend to be very successful people. Strong willed. Tendency to be quiet and is a good listener. Could also be outspoken. With saturn in 18° (virgo degree), she’s very hard working but she may need to learn how to take a break and let herself rest and recharge.

Capricorn uranus: This placement also indicates that she goes after her goals and is efficient and practical in achieving them. Uranus being in the 2nd house shows that she could make money from being unique and groundbreaking. 2nd house also rules the voice! Her values are unique and she could be resistant to change them. Her self esteem could be in a constant state of flux and be tied to money. Her income could rapidly change, like maybe she did not get paid much but then suddenly she starts making a lot of money. Uranus is in 5° which is a fame degree. She’s famous for being authentically herself and very much an individual in the industry that can’t be compared.

Capricorn neptune: Capricorn neptunes are most likely realists. She is skilled at going after her dreams. Her dreams are practical and connected to themes of wealth, power, and control. Neptune in 3rd house shows a dreamy, poetic way of communicating. A very creative placement. Dreamy vibes. Could be elusive in communication, open for interpretation. Neptune is in 11° so this gives aquarian energy. Idealistic with friends and always searching for ways to achieve her dreams.

Scorpio pluto: Her power lies in her ability to analayze human interactions and be introspective with herself since it’s in the 1st house. She is very self aware. Mitski understands that life is about going through changes and she welcomes the ability to grow and rebuild. She has intense, deep emotions but has control over them and how she expresses them. Pluto in 16° adds a cancerian energy. Her strength lies in her ability to nurture and be empathetic.

Scorpio rising: First impressions of Mitski can be that she’s mysterious and secretive. A powerful and intimidating presence. This explains to me why she loves dressing in black. She probably has a strong dislike for anything superficial. She likes to get to know people on a deeper level and connect with them. She likes honesty and is probably very perceptive and intuitive. Privacy is so important to her! She has a lot of layers and wants people to unpack them, but it may take her a while to open up. She is powerful and has endurance. Her presence leaves an impact on people. Loyalty and intimacy is important. She’s not afraid to talk about taboo topics or scary, heavier emotions. Passionate and even a tendency to get fixed on or obsessed with something or someone. Her rising is in 15° (gemini degree) so she’s clever, curious, and thinks quickly. a little more flexible than a regular Scorpio rising would be.

Leo midheaven: People might see her as dramatic or arrogant. In the public eye, she was meant to be a performer. At her concerts she’s known for putting on a good show & includes interpretive dance and choreography. She becomes herself more when she’s on stage. The stage is where she shines. Has a lot of pride connected to her career. Reputation for creatively expressing herself and being brave and taking risks. Wants to be admired, especially regarding her career. Her purpose is to become a leader. Mc in 22° (capricorn degree) shows that she is a very hard worker when it comes to her career. She won’t let anyone stop her when it comes to achievement and success in her field. Another indicator of being at the top of her career and being publicly recognized for it!

TLDR: Mitski is a natural born singer, performer and artist. She is unique, talented, and an introspective writer. Being earth and water dominant, she balances practicality & stability with sentimentality & raw emotion. With all of her Capricorn placements, she is grounded and doesn’t let fame get to her head. Her chart ruler is Scorpio pluto in the 1st which means that major transformations will be a big theme in her life, especially regarding herself & her identity. She is always reflecting and looking at herself on a deep level.