#the entire thing is stuck in my head but mainly the first verse and chorus

[mainsbody]

Jason aldean staring at the sun

JASON ALDEAN STARING AT THE SUN SKIN

JASON ALDEAN STARING AT THE SUN FULL

If the reader or listener has been or is in love, then these lyrics can be an affirmation that their love is true, and real. This could help them determine that being in love with someone is way different than just being infatuated with someone. It would also give them expectations of what love is really supposed to be like. If the listener or reader has never been in love before, this gives them things to relate the lyrics to. This song uses figurative language throughout to compare love to many beautiful, simple pleasures in life. Their lover cannot only change their day, they can change their life. You can tell throughout the song that the individual is completely consumed by their lover and that nothing else in the world matters to them as much as they do. I appreciate the song “Staring at the Sun” mainly because it shows how powerful love is. It reminds the reader or listener of what the writer said in the past verses and to summarize what the individual’s lover is like and how she makes them feel. In the last lines of the song it says: “She’s like finally coming home, standing in the rain, staring at the sun” (lines 27-19). They are their home and a comfort to them. They are someone that they look forward to seeing and spending time with. These lines tell us that the individual’s lover is a simple pleasure in their life. In the last stanza of the song it says: “She’s like finally coming home, and seeing that light in the window on, after being gone too long” (lines 24-26). It is not something that comes and goes as it pleases it’s forever. This, being the only few lines that are repeated throughout the song, tells that the ultimate message that the writer is trying to get across is that love is constant and always present. These lines give the listener a mental image of something that is beautiful, which could make them more interested in the song.Īfter this verse, the chorus is played two more times. No matter what the individual is going through in their life, their lover can change their whole day. Just like standing in the rain can wash all the dirt off, whenever the individual comes home to their lover, it makes all their problems and worries fade away. At the end of a long, hot day, she’s like standing in the rain” (lines 10-13). The second verse of the song uses comparison and imagery: “She’s like standing in the rain washes all my cares away. It tells the reader or listener that love isn’t always easy, and there’s going to be tough times, but no matter what this individual goes through, their lover is always going to be there for them. This says that love is constant, and when it’s real, it’s forever. She holds on, stuck in your head like an old song she ain’t going nowhere” (lines 5-9).

JASON ALDEAN STARING AT THE SUN SKIN

It says “She gets on to you, under your skin like a tattoo she’ll always be there. This is the first use of repetition in this song it plays these same few lines three different times throughout the entire song. The first time the chorus is shown is in the second stanza. It is clear, at this point, that the writer knows what it feels like to be in love. They are utterly consumed by this person. This tells us that love is blinding, and when someone is truly in love with someone, they don’t notice other people like they used to. Other women, I see none she’s like staring at the sun” (lines 1-4). The first use of a simile is in the first few lines of the first verse: “She’s like staring at the sun she could easily blind someone. This song uses only figurative language and no literal language. This helps the listener understand better what message the song-writer is really trying to convey, and fully appreciate the meaning of every lyric. When analyzing song lyrics it is helpful to break the song up into smaller pieces and pick apart the meanings of each line. This use of figurative language makes it much more interesting by giving the listener mental pictures and things to relate the lyrics to throughout the song.

JASON ALDEAN STARING AT THE SUN FULL

The song “Staring at the Sun” is full of symbols, metaphors, imagery, repetition and similes. You can tell that the writer either is, or has been truly in love before and they relay that message very clearly in this song. The words of this song are very powerful, and though the writer uses figurative language, they are very straightforward. The song “Staring at the Sun” by Jason Aldean is a very meaningful spiel about love and how consuming and powerful it can really be. Songs can show anything from anger, sadness, hatred, or the most popular topic nowadays, love. Whether it’s the song you hear every morning on your drive to work, or perhaps the song that was played at a family member’s funeral, it’s something that is a part of our lives. Music can show us many different things, and make us feel many different ways.

[fleurmatisse]

what if i just made a text post that was the entirety of kiss goodnight by idkhow

[dwlrmoon]

Astrological Analysis: I.M "Duality"

An astrological analysis of I.M's solo album "Duality" & how his astrological placements manifest through the songs. Changkyun said that he poured his entire soul into this album, so I thought it'll be really cool to dissect the songs in the astrological lens because I'm in love with his artistry.

REMINDER

Observed & analyzed through western tropical astrology; we are missing information due to lack of confirmed birth time, so I can only deliver using the traditional 7 planets (mainly the personal chart) without a house system.

DUALITY

Having the album entitled "Duality" with songs expressing this topic (esp. the title track) reminds me of his Aquarius placements, mainly the Sun. I.M has his Sun in detriment, meaning that his Sun is "weak" or uncomfortable in that sign. As the sister sign of Leo, Aquarius symbolizes celebrities, fame, the star in tarot, as well as hopes & dreams. Aquarius can represent notoriety & infamy while simultaneously having the stereotype of the loner or outsider, not wanting to be perceived or "understood."

Using traditional rulership, Aquarius is ruled by Saturn who also rules Capricorn. If Capricorn rules authorities & conformities, Aquarius is the rebellious younger sibling refusing to conform & rather revolt, deviating from the norm. I.M placed his artistry in precedence; convincing SSE to use God Damn as the title track despite the profanity requiring him to release this album digitally in addition to him creating the tracks in his own style that may or may not be in line with k-pop or Monsta X.

GOD DAMN

In true I.M fashion the song & MV are very concupiscent, & since I already talked about the duality that is expressed through this song, let's talk about the MV specifically. Pisces rules escapism & addiction & his Pisces Venus was very on brand to go with alcohol as the imagery of getting high to hide from his frustrations. This piece is highly self-reflective & he encourages listeners to read between the lines, it's quite Saturnian in nature. I also love how the lyrics have that duality of hating & loving whoever/whatever that is ruining/comforting him—I really associate this with his Martian Moon (him assigning Misbehave as the song that represents him is so... Aries Moon).

HOWLIN'

No more taming 'bout my color I swing 'till I get, what’s the problem? Problem I ain't follow simply what I see I go follow what I need 'Cause I see that I'm loyal Imma go on my speed, even I'm slow

The 1st verse reminds me a lot of his Saturnian + Martian energy—no more wanting to be someone he's not, doing his own thing without care of what others may think. However, the last 2 lines really highlight the fixed modality of his Aquarius: I love that he says he's loyal even if he goes on his speed which can be slow; he doesn't care as long as he gets there.

I don't celebrate 'till I make it till the end Ain't time for the 'hol up' You want me be a shade but I'm made for a big wave Ain't time for the 'hol up'

This song has a lot of Saturnian themes esp. the chorus. It reminds us that Saturn rules time—he doesn't succumb to the challenges & distractions or "hold ups," rather focusing on his goal & only celebrating once he reaches the mountaintop. Saturn is karmic, it takes its sweet time to give you your rewards that you must work laboriously for. He knows he's made for something bigger (Aquarius), & with his perseverance (fixed), determination & passion (Aquarius Mars + Aries Moon), he will be rewarded despite all the struggles (Saturn).

Don't call me, I'm drivin' I just wanna keep on ballin’ Even though when you are hatin’ Woah Grab me when I'm fallin’ 'Cause I make myself so lonely You know that I'm howlin'

However, Saturn can be extremely isolating & Aquarius is akin to the underdog. Of course we don't know where his placements are, but his Pisces Venus contributes to that isolation. He feels lonely & he knows that, but he inevitable makes himself lonely which Aquarius natives can do when they develop that mentality of me v.s. the world sometimes. Keep in mind that Aquarius rules community yet the outsider, showcasing that wanting to be alone while wanting someone to be there for him. Saturn is burden & he's a lone wolf used to being alone carrying all that burden himself.

BURN

The night has become cold and now it's a meaningless fight I don't wanna waste my time on the past time Endless shot, let me head to the top I don't wanna waste my time on the past time Burn the accumulated emotions, burn Burn everything without leaving anything, burn

An Aries Moon anthem? I find that Aries placements love having fire/burning imagery if not in their songs then in their MVs. Aries is Martian, cardinal & fire by nature, which means that Aries Moons may get irritated fairly quickly—a quick temper? But they get over it super quickly, kind of like blowing off steam & then letting it go right after. The Moon rules our emotions, & I think the lyrics speak for itself here. The allusion to the fight is very Martian as well.

I'm mixed and complex, yeah I don't know myself well, eh Yesterday I couldn't empty it out, yeah I'd rather burn it, yeah The tears that fell are oil Make the flame burn higher Pour it out, no more regrets Burn it all up and high, yeah

I really enjoy I.M's introspective & intrapersonal nature; he always says he doesn't know himself well & accepts that rather than fighting it. He accepts all facets of himself, & that's very refreshing. The 2nd verse made me chuckle a little bit because the first 2 lines look Aquarius while the rest is Aries. Not to mention he has an Aquarius Mars conjunct Sun, so, more Martian energy there. Cardinal + Martian give me that attitude he portrays very well in this song—throw some more oil, let it burn more so that there'll be no regrets. Another Aries placement who wrote something like this? Yoongi.

HAPPY TO DIE

I could die right now, yeah I can never lie, yeah You bring me to sky Let me be yours till I die When you say goodbye, yeah Bury me on your heart, yeah Don't you say that word Could you keep it till I die? You brought me back to the real love I wanna get lost here forever

There is so much to unpack in this little song... The chorus is a mixture of Saturnian commitment & Aries headstrong, passionate reckless energy motivated by his romanticist Pisces Venus. The title itself, the whole concept of this song, is fundamentally Pisces (his DSC would be really cool to talk about here, if we had the birth time, but we don't, so).

We're childish like we were when we used to play back then I let go of rationality as if I'm drawn by the wind I don't know what this feeling is Even if I try to pretend I don't know, everything seems to be obvious, yeah I don't know, I like it the way it is I don't know me well, I don't know I guess it's not a lie that I really like you I'm happy to die right now

Verse 1 truly has my heart in a grip. He has a rational & intellectually-minded Saturnian Mercury & Sun, yet once he's in love he gets enamoured & childish, rendered completely irrational. It's giving me Aries meets Pisces—of the moment, idealistic, just overwhelming emotions taking control of his Saturnian mind, which I find funny because he has Moon square Mercury.

Things of mine might go away and shape Will just change, but don't you change When I'm low, could you make me not alone? I could die right now if we were just this crazy about each other

Pisces is sentimental & can represent past lives, that feeling of being stuck in the past? Pisces Venus is visionary & idealistic, they're more in love with the idea of love than love itself sometimes. Here we see that theme of isolation again, his Aquarius could play a role here, but his Pisces placements are also desperate to be loved. The last line, like said before, is utterly Pisces because Romeo & Juliet is known to be a Pisces type of relationship, plus with that Aries Moon... it just makes sense since Aries Moons love the rush & passion.

시든 꽃 FLOWER-ED

Somehow I have no strength to resist I stay right where I am It's not like I'm longing for someone But I'm standing there

Personally loving how his songs gradually grow more & more Piscean? The overwhelming emotion of yearning with no one to long for is so Pisces/Jupiterian Venus in general. Like I said, they're idealistic & in love with the idea of love more than anything—not the happy kind of love either. I notice that Jupiterian Venuses play with the theme of wanting a lot, mainly because they are ruled by the planet of expansion. Distance is a huge theme in Jupiterian signs, & they idealize that.

When you step on me like it's nothing I desperately want you to come back and hug mе I deeply remember your smilе that laughed at me While I was being illuminated by you

Because Pisces placements love the idea of love & the feeling of longing for someone they can get into the habit of sacrificing themselves, hence their association with the hanged man in tarot. They are too focused on the fantasy of love to take off their rose tinted glasses.

I don't really blame you I know your days by my side Have faded away Please don't disappear, oh

The hand that held me, the eyes that captured me are all blind The scattered hands, the shining eyes are gone

I don't know what else to say here, like, I think you guys understand how these verses really depicts his Pisces Venus very well... With a Venus conjunct Saturn it can really emphasize isolation & rejection as well—this aspect feels like they are deprived of love, so they crave it desperately even if it hurts them which is a theme of Pisces. Him titling this track "withered flower" in Korean is so Pisces Venus of him overall.

[davisgools]

VOCAL VALENTINE

TO: DAVIS

FROM: SECRET ADMIRER

MESSAGE: To the most talented boy in all of Ohio, break a leg at regionals this weekend.

“We’re looking for one Davis Goolsby,” Dylan announced as she pushed open the doors of the Carmel High auditorium during their lunch period. It was no secret that Vocal Adrenaline members rehearsed at any chance they got, so when her eyes landed on Davis center stage, she grinned at Candy and knew it was show time. 

“We’ve got a little surprise for you, Goob,” she said giddily, skipping down the aisle of the theater with Candy at her side until they were on stage, “and it’s from a secret admirer.” 

“And your secret admirer’s message is: to the most talented boy in all of Ohio, break a leg at regionals this weekend.” Candy read off a small piece of paper with the message, so she wouldn’t forget what the message was – sure it was short, but with all of the messages she would be getting, there was no way that she was going to remember all of them. As she put the piece of paper back in her pocket, she looked over at Dylan with a smile. 

Dylan then guided Davis down to front row of seats, sat him down, and playfully gave his shoulder a squeeze before running back up to the stage. “Hit it,” she called out to the a/v club techie they’d brought along for the ride, “pretty please!” Immediately, the opening drum sounds of ‘be my baby’ by the ronettes filled the auditorium. Candy sang the first verse, as she kept her eyes on Davis – she had memorized the lyrics pretty easily and she was sure that song would get stuck in her head since she was singing it for a whole week.

Once they reached the first chorus, Dylan took over and beckoned over a few cheerios who had been waiting in the wings. They sang and danced in perfect harmony for the rest of the song. When they reached the final chorus, the cheerios handed Dylan and Candy each their own confetti guns, which they shot directly at Davis to create a beautiful rain shower of red and pink hearts. When the music came to a close, Dyl hopped off stage with a rose and handed it to Davis. 

“Happy valentines day,” she said sweetly, glancing back at Candy who said, “God, I feel bad for whoever has to clean that up…” as she looked at the confettis. 

And then they were off and on to the next serenade.

With Regionals quickly approaching, Davis was starting to feel the heat. He knew that Vocal Adrenaline was going to secure the win with ease, but that didn’t mean that things weren’t going to be completely perfect on their road to winning the title. He was in the middle of an emotionally charged and mostly encouraging speech whenever light began to spill in from the opened doors of the auditorium. Davis quickly turned his head to find the culprit of the interruption whenever he realized that the interruption was for him. He smiled whenever he noticed Dylan and Candy coming in, knowing one of them more than the other. Just because it was Gigi’s cousin? Davis complied with ease. “Take five, everyone,” Davis instructed to his team before he was putting his full attention on the enemy girls

This was one of those Vocal Valentines that the New Directions were doing, wasn’t it? If it had been literally any other member of that sad team, Davis might have berated them the entire performance, but instead, he politely (and quietly) took his seat with a smile before he was leaning back and waiting for the show to begin.

Davs’ eyes were wide with excitement as the performance began and continued on strong. Sure, he had a couple critiques that he could have given both of them for their performance, mainly some pitch issues, but that wasn’t what this was for. And besides, who was this secret admirer? After the party over the weekend, Davis was smart enough to know that it wasn’t coming from Gigi - so who else could it have possibly been?

Once the song was coming to an end and Davis was getting showered with confetti, he pushed his annoyance to the side before he was standing and giving them enough claps to hopefully make them feel proud. “Thank you! It was lovely, Dylan... and Candy,” Davis added with a smile before he was clapping his hands more pointedly towards his team and climbing back onto the stage. “Take a fifteen everyone. I’m feeling kind with Valentines Day right around the corner.” He could tell his teammates were confused by his kindness, especially with who the performers had been, but he didn’t give a damn. He had a lot to think about now. 

[fmdjaewonarchive]

► run away.

date(s): december 2020 mentions of: n/a word count: +/- 1.7k words (+/- 1k words w/ lyrics on songwriting, +/- 700 words on the composition) warnings: mentions of anxiety and general mental health problems details: full lyrics and full composition verification for run away, 2/3 verifications for jaewon’s upcoming album escapism. jaewon tries to prove he’s capable of writing music that’s worthy of the titletrack status and in doing so tries to branch out from what he’s used to, blending together what he knows works for him uncharted territory. all in all, things could have gone worse (a/n: i don’t know shit about composing pls take all of this with a grain of salt.)

by default, park jaewon is a creature of habit, prefers to find one set way to do things that works for him and deviate as little as possible from that. he likes certainty and avoiding unnecessary risk, anything to leave as little room for error as possible. making mistake might be a learning experience but not with how dead terrified jaewon is of doing things wrong, how he doesn’t know how to face failure without it determining his entire sense of selfworth. 

songwriting is no different from that. most of the time jaewon writes, it’s structurally planned, deadlines and expectations to be met firmly in place, his work method like clockwork, almost mechanical. it doesn’t sound very profound, it definitely doesn’t suit the mental image most people have of the turbulent, disordered creative process of a real artist. not like jaewon can bring himself to care about whether or not his songwriting methods are deemed deep or profound enough in the eyes of other people, he had better things to care about.

like the album dimensions wanted him to write on short notice.

not that jaewon is complaining, everything but, getting his creative freedom back, it has been a long grueling process to get to this point but he is on a bit of a time crunch here. ‘our songs’ has only ended a mere couple of days ago but with a tentative release date of late winter to early spring, jaewon has his work cut out for him.

in such a time crunch, it makes sense to stick to his usual routine, go with what he is used to.

except jaewon doesn’t.

maybe ‘our songs’ has him feeling experimental for once, maybe he doesn’t want to risk falling victim to not only old habits but also old pitfalls, he’s not really sure what it is but for once, he starts with the lyrics.

that shouldn’t be very remarkable, not for most artists, but jaewon has already religiously stuck to his order of first creating an instrumental and then fitting his lyrical content to it rather than the other way around, starting from zero on that is quite the step, for him at least.

this song, it’s supposed to be title track material, to set the tone for the entire album straight away. if he gets this right by both his own standards and dimensions’, he gets to more or less free range on crafting this album to his liking. and to jaewon, lyrical content has always outweighed sound, as nice as a good beat is, it’s the content of a song that he identifies with, that he feels proudest of.

so writing a song about a breakup doesn’t seem evident.

run away, back off from me run away, far away from me

because that’s what it seems to shape up to be at first glance when he starts writing, themes of heartache, putting distance between yourself and your lover because as much as it might hurt on short notice, it will be the better option long term. and maybe it’s about that too, life isn’t clear cut one thing or the other so why should music be.

but it isn’t primarily that. 

because the urge to run away isn’t an unfamiliar sensation to jaewon, it’s the thrum of anxiety under his skin, the voice in the back of his mind keeping him hyper aware of how awful of a person he is, how he fails those around him. 

at the end of the day, that’s what he wants to run away from most.

if there is anyone he wants to take as much distance from as possible, it’s himself.

go away so you get out of my sight let me forget everything from your name to your face so that when I’m looking for you while i’m drunk i can’t recognize you even when you are right up close i will give up while i am looking

so maybe it is a break-up song. it’s undoubtedly a break-up song. but not about breaking off from other people.

it’s cutting ties with his past self, who he has been, with the years bitterness that have culminated in hurtful habits and patterns. 

i will run away first along the torn shapes before sadness will take place and harden up i’ll run away

he’s not broken away from them completely yet. park jaewon would never have to gal to call himself a good person, it would be a bald-faced lie. but even he has to admit that there has been progress.

he might not be there yet but it’s something. that gets to be said as well right? it’s been a gruelling process so far, he gets to celebrate the small victories.

it reminds him of when he wrote ‘rebirth’ for his first album, almost two years ago at this point. back then, ‘rebirth’ had been a starting point, the turn around to doing better. sure, he wasn’t at the finish yet but he had moved forward, that was something.

something is good, a lot better than he has gotten a lot of previous years.

that in itself made it worthy of its own song really.

you’ve gone a long way into thin air the sun has gone down without looking back even once

finishing the first draft feels like a burden relieved, a weight taken off his shoulder as he has gained the perspective to reflect back on what has been.

his flaws are still plenty, he could never deny that. jaewon doubts he’ll ever grow out of all of them, some parts carved into his personality that he doubts he’ll ever be able to take them out. 

but for now he’s still moving forward, still growing and everyone past scar healed over is one, one step closer to finding some semblance of peace within himself, within his own person.

all he has to do is keep running.

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

with a rough draft of the lyrics done, he still needs an instrumental and for that, he trades the comfort of his home studio for one of the more richly equipped ones in the dimensions headquarters. it feels a bit silly to make a distinction but jaewon always prefered writing from home and composing from within the company building, both surroundings better tailored to a different part of the creative process. or well in his experience at least.

it takes some fumbling, the kind of awkward stumble that comes with deviating from old habits and making up a plan as one goes. matching melody to lyrics rather than words to melody are most definitely not the same thing but just reversed, jaewon quickly learns the hard way, especially not in a rap track where really, the flow can make or break the whole thing.

so it’s a bit of a struggle, the first few hours fiddling around with sounds and beats that ultimately lead to nothing, that turns out he doesn’t know how to mold to his lyrics in a way that leaves him satisfied.

but like with most things in life, there is a learning curve. with every bit he scraps, he comes closer to the sound he’s actually searching for. 

and jaewon makes a genuine effort to branch out, try something new for a change. much like his lyrics, his usual composing also falls victim to sticking too closely to what he’s familiar with, deep, muted sounds to convey the somber undertone of his lyrics, a slow drawl to instrumental, mainly focussing on drums and bass lines, moody and dark.

so this time, his instruments of choice are synths. different types of synths at different points, trying his best to branch out, create an instrumental that’s fun and surprisingly at all turns but in essence, when one dumbs it down, the main theme is truly just… synths.

that’s not a bad thing, it is breaching out of his comfort zone for sure. funnily enough, the more he works on it, the more the instrumental reminds him of something that could have been on his previous album. ironic, considering jaewon spent the better part of the year loathing ‘love language’ with every fiber of his being. 

looking back on it with a fresh perspective, jaewon has to admit that while he didn’t like the music for himself, far too flashy and corny. but in terms of playing around with the composition and production, whoever had worked on that album (jaewon doesn’t know, it sure wasn’t him) was a lot more creative than he was.

surely he can do something like that on his own devices as well right? surely he can branch out from his typical song structure and prove he’s grown as a composer.

the bounce of the synths and the bass has a cosmic feel to it, the flow of the song twisting at every turn where sections bleed into another with bells and trinkets attached to the transitions. 

for added effect, jaewon records the whistling curling around the edges of the verses that ties them to an end before shifting into the chorus himself, by the time he’s done putting them through editing it doesn’t sound all that human anymore, morphed into something more surreal sounding, blending into that not-quite terrestrial vibe that seems to arch over the song. 

the drop in the chorus is hardly creative, jaewon doubts a beat drop can still be at this point but it does add to the immersion of the song, like getting your head dunked in a bath of ice water, stripping down on the whimsical rhythm patterns laced through the verses and stripping down to raw desperation of the song, the harrowing undertone of running for your life.

he adds bits and pieces like that, layer by layer, until the song itself sounds just as meticulously thought out as the lyrics rather than just a bare structure built underneath them.

when he gives the draft a final reason before sending it off to the creative department, jaewon can’t help but think he never created something that sounds so complete before.

[fire-emblem-supports]

Fire Emblem: Three Houses theme analysis

I’m bored and hyped for Three Houses so of course the main theme has been stuck in my head. Personally, I feel like it tells a much more coherent story than Lost in Thoughts All Alone, so I thought it might be fun to analyze it in-depth and share my thoughts.

Spoilers may follow; it’s all mainly speculation and more minor details that have been revealed in trailers, but I’m tagging it and putting a read more just to be safe.

Before anything else, I’m going to put forward the assumption that this song is sung from the point of view of Edelgard (like how Lost in Thoughts seems to be from Anankos’s POV and Heritors of Arcadia is Mila’s). I was pretty confident in this just from the lyrics, but the official title -- “The Maiden of Hresvelg” -- definitely supports the theory.

Now for the actual lyrics.

The first chorus seems to set the tone for the rest of the song through its use of “dawn” to mean “a new day” or, generically, the future. More specifically, this likely refers to the five year timeskip. So the first half:

Reach for my hand I’ll soar away Into the dawn

Basically seems to mean “try to save me as I head into my future.” That goes into:

Oh, I wish I could stay Here in cherished halls In peaceful days I fear the edge of dawn Knowing time betrays

The cherished halls are the Officers’ Academy. So Edelgard is expressing her fear of the future and how she would much rather remain in the peaceful happiness of the academy.

The specific phrasing of the last line is also notable to me. “Knowing time betrays” could simply mean that Edelgard is aware things will change in the future. However, the specific use of “knowing” and “betrays” indicates this is something she has actually experienced firsthand -- maybe someone she cared about who changed and betrayed her somehow. This could just be artsy lyrics, but it would fit with what we’ve seen of her in trailers, where she’s really desperate for Byleth to not forget her. I would also have to check the Japanese lyrics to see if they say basically the same thing to know for sure if this is true, and I haven’t found a translation of those. But regardless, this is likely foreshadowing of Edelgard’s “fall” to the terrifying empress she becomes after the timeskip.

Moving onto the verse:

Daylights pass through colored glass In this beloved place Silver shines, the world dines A smile on each face

This all seems to highlight the aforementioned peaceful days in cherished halls. Colored glass is likely comparable to the saying of “rose-tinted lenses”; basically, days seem brighter “in this beloved place” (again, the academy). “Silver shines, the world dines” are generic metaphors referring to wealth; this could be taken literally or metaphorically, where the world is legitimately financially well-off, or it’s just that everyone is emotionally wealthy (happy). “A smile on each face” is pretty straightforward.

The next stanza is more personal to Edelgard again:

As choice surrounds, come forth in bounds And I can feel them breaking free For just this moment lost in time I am finally me

This is all really weirdly phrased and sounds like it didn’t translate well. But it’s probably about Byleth choosing which house to join, and/or other plot-important choices. If it’s the house specifically, then Edelgard could be saying that Byleth joining the Black Eagles finally allows her to be herself. Wouldn’t be a surprising message.

Yet still I hide Behind this mask that I have become My blackened heart Scorched by flames, a force I can’t run from

This probably refers both to Edelgard’s backstory and her future. Of course, we know very little about both, so it’s hard to say what specifically it is. I would guess pressures to be the perfect empress (”this mask that I have become”), and then some sort of deep, dark secret (”a force I can’t run from”).

That takes us straight into the second chorus:

I look to you Like a red rose Seeking the sun no matter where it goes

This is definitely about Byleth. And when you combine it with the second half:

I long to stay Where the light dwells To fight against the cold that I know so well

Edelgard sees Byleth as her “light”, saving her from the aforementioned mask/blackened heart/flames. The “cold” she’s fighting against refers to the same dark secrets. She follows Byleth because he/she makes her feel safe from her past and/or future.

Now, I’m 99% certain this isn’t the entire song. The ending is pretty abrupt, it’s short, and it doesn’t make any sense that they would reveal the entire song so far before release. If I had to guess, the rest of the song will delve more into Edelgard’s future. But without knowing what exactly her future is or what those lyrics say, I can’t put more detail into that.

This was probably completely pointless, but I still wanted to write it anyway. I’m excited to see if any of it is right.

[sophieakatz]

Thursday Thoughts: Top 20 Steven Universe Songs (Vol. 1) (Part One of Two)

Recently, Cartoon Network TV show Steven Universe wowed its audience yet again with Change Your Mind, an episode full of everything the show is known for: awesome action, fantastic messages, and perhaps best of all, incredible music.

Since the new episode, I’ve been in an almost constant mood to listen to Steven Universe songs – fortunately, 37 of them are compiled into an album, Steven Universe Vol. 1.

Here is my totally subjective list of my top 20 of these 37.

20. “What Can I Do (For You)” 

“What can I do for you? What can I do that no one else can do?”

I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of Greg’s songs from his rock star days, but I do enjoy the slow, groovy feeling of this one. It’s also a rare pleasure to hear Rose Quartz sing.

19. “Comet” 

“This life I chose isn’t easy, but sure is one heck of a ride.”

Here’s another one of Greg’s hits. It’s catchy, and I have fun jamming out to it, but only if I separate it from the context of the episode. In context, it just makes me sad, because all the stardom stuff he’s talking about here isn’t actually happening, and he isn’t really as into it as he’s trying to sound.

18. “Something Entirely New” 

“What about you?” “What about me?” “Well, you’re here, too. We’re here together.”

This song was stuck in my head for a very long time after I first watched The Answer. It’s soft and sweet, and I absolutely love the way it transitions into Garnet’s “Stronger Than You” theme at the end. But I do wish it had a few more verses. It just feels incomplete!

17. “The Jam Song”

“Ingredients in harmony, we mix together perfectly, come on and share this jam with me!”

There are three categories of Steven Universe songs: sad, epic, and cute. “Jam Song” is 100% cute. I want to learn the ukulele mainly so that I can play this song while cosplaying Stevonnie.

16. “Do It For Her” 

“What they don’t know is your real advantage: when you live for someone, you’re prepared to die.”

I’m so conflicted about this song because I really don’t like the martyr-esque message of it (which, fortunately, is handily rebutted later in the episode). But anything that Pearl (voiced by Deedee Magno) sings is gorgeous, so… on the top 20 list it goes!

15. “Full Disclosure” 

“What if somehow you get hurt, what do I do? I don’t want that for you.”

Several Steven Universe episodes stand out to me as Very Important Stories, and Full Disclosure is one of them. It takes the trope of the (male) hero isolating himself from someone (female) who cares about him in an attempt to “protect” her from danger and thoroughly examines it. While the worries that Steven expresses in this song (while avoiding Connie’s phone calls, with the ringtone integrated into the chorus) are completely valid, by the end of the episode it’s clear that Connie has the right to choose to stick around and help, and that Steven is much better off as a part of a team than as a solitary hero.

14. “Tower of Mistakes”

“I see a tower built out of my mistakes, and it all comes crashing down.”

The only thing keeping this song from being higher on the list is that for some reason it just isn’t very memorable for me. I had honestly forgotten that Amethyst had a solo number before listening to this album. She should have more songs.

13. “On the Run” 

“There’s no time to hang around; our adventure’s just begun!”

More cuteness and catchiness, this time with Steven and Amethyst. Reflecting on how much both of these characters have grown over the course of the show only heightens my appreciation for this early moment of fun and easy camaraderie.

12. “Don’t Cost Nothing” 

“What do I do with all this money, when the only thing I want is you?”

Yeah, I definitely have a soft spot for the cute songs. Mr. Greg is a fantastic musical episode, and because of that, I considered putting them all together into one spot on this list. But the songs each strike such a different tone that they really ought to stand alone even as I acknowledge how well they work as a whole.

11. “What’s the Use of Feeling (Blue)” 

“Drowning in all this regret... Wouldn’t you rather forget her?”

Everybody loves a villain song, and this one is quite effective. Yellow clearly conveys both her sympathetic and unsympathetic aspects via a melody that strikes an oddly compelling balance between discordance and catchiness. I’m uncomfortable, intrigued, and tapping my toes, all at the same time.

This article got a lot longer than I expected it to, so stay tuned for part two of this list – the top ten!

[everythingmusicandfilm]

Scorpion / Drake Album Review

On the 29th of June 2018 Drake released his highly anticipated double album Scorpion. Whilst Side A is mainly rap orientated and features some incredible bangers, Side B is more R&B and it gets real emotional real fast. The two sides represent angry/bitter Drake vs self searching Drake. The album is definitely drama orientated as Drake recognises how much his music is analysed. He takes this and makes it his own to create a stand out album that will have people talking for years to come.

SIDE A

“Survival”

“Survival”, the first track on the album is about Drake’s career and his rap game (“House on  both coasts but I live on the charts”). He talks about being independent from his label and his beef with other rappers (potentially Meek Mill and Diddy). This song introduces us to the album and lets us know that he will dive into the drama (“Now I gotta deal with all this drama and deal with myself”). The electronic tones over the beat along with the pure passive aggressive rap verse create an intriguing intro to this album (“This just the intro, let me not get ahead of myself”).

“Nonstop”

On this track, Drake praises his own abilities as a rapper and talks about the behind the scenes of being a musician (“I can’t go in public like a civilian for real”). The hook of the song is sampled from a Memphis Tape from 1995 by Mack Daddy Ju and D.J. Squeeky. The rapping on this track is insane as it should be when you’re rapping about how good you are at rapping…(“Money for revenge, man, that’s hardly an expense”). The song has an enriching deep bass with a serious bounce and Drake’s flow on this track has me seriously excited for the rest of the album.

“Elevate”

“Elevate” is about Drake looking back on his accomplishments and what he has done for his friends and family but also wanting to pursue more in life (“I’m in bed awake, thinkin’ how’d I make, all this happen for myself and my family”). One of the more pulsing beats of any of the tracks on the album and some in depth lyrics (“I wanna thank God for workin’ way harder than Satan”). Although it has a slow start this track just gets better as the song goes on.

“Emotionless”

Wow this song had me speechless first listen. “Emotionless” is the first song on the album where Drake acknowledges his son (“I wasn’t hidin’ my kid from the world I was hidin’ the world from my kid”). This is a response to Pusha T’s diss track of Drake. Drake also addresses this social media obsessed society that we live in (“I know a girl whose one goal was to visit Rome then she finally got to Rome and all she did was post pictures for people at home, cause all that mattered was impressin’ everybody she’s known”). The choral singing by Mariah Carey at the start of the song is impressive and surprising and when the beat comes in you know it’s going to be a good song. The lyrics in this song are the best so far and this track was instantly one of my favourites when I first listened to the album.

“God’s Plan”

“God’s Plan” was the first song released from the album and it definitely paved way for Drake’s ongoing success. The song addresses how being in the music industry means people want him to fail but he knows that God won’t let that happen (“I see the things that they wishin’ on me”). He also talks about the struggle of finding legit friends in the industry as most people who enter his life have a motive to benefit themselves. Another topic of the song is Drake honoring his old life before his success. The song is a feel good track with an enticing beat and potentially the most iconic lyrics of the entire album…(“She said ‘do you love me?’ I tell her ‘only partly’, I only love my bed and my momma I’m sorry”). Drake used the $996,631.00 budget for the music video to donate to families, schools and charities.

“I’m Upset”

Potentially the most basic lyrics from the album, Drake in “I’m Upset” addresses how he thinks he needs to protect his money from the women in his life (“I’m a always take the money over sex, that’s why they need me out the way, what you expect?”). Another song playing to his ego and stressing about the problems of being rich although it has interesting relevance after the track “Emotionless”.

“8 out of 10”

On “8 Out of 10” Drake talks about his life at the moment and how he realises that people will always judge and criticise him but he knows that he is still a success (“Your sister is pressin’ play, your trainer is pressin’ play, your wifey your wifey your wifey your wifey - (true)”). This track has an intriguing beat with enticing background vocals…(“I don’t like to talk when there’s nothin’ else left to say”). The song mentions his son once again and is a representation of Drake overcoming criticism to continue releasing bangers.

“Mob Ties”

“Mob Ties” is Drake’s way of severing ties with people who have betrayed him and people who have criminal pasts. The piano sample is from “Affirmative Action” by Nas’ Mafioso and it reminds me of a Linkin Park song for some reason or the background of a mafia movie. The chorus of this song is by far the best part and the tune is one that has been stuck in my head for days (“It’s too late for all that lovey-dovey shit, I’m your brother shit, all that other shit”).

“Can’t Take a Joke”

In “Can’t Take a Joke”, Drake addresses his life as a celebrity as he is living in Hidden Hills, always taking vacations and hanging with friends who ‘can’t take a joke’ (“If they come to Hidden Hills then I know they know the deal”). He stresses about not wanting to fuel the fire with his haters but also he knows that he can’t just sit back. This song continues the themes from “I’m Upset”. Drake’s rap game in this track is strooooong. His strong flow and unusual tempo makes this track unique and it is definitely one of my favourites from the album..(“and I gotta own the things I rap about just for my pride, you know when it comes to pride I can’t put that shit aside”).

“Sandra’s Rose”

“Sandra’s Rose” is about how fame has affected Drake’s life. It is about the money and the girls and how he gets discredited for it (“I’m standin’ at the top of where you n***** are climbin’ to reach, I even got my very own initials inscribed on my sheets”). ‘Sandra’s Rose’ could refer to himself as his mother’s name is Sandra and she used to be a florist (“My mother had a flower shop, but I was Sandra’s Rose”). The lyrics in this track are very in-depth (“Bury me and I’ll be born again, I walk in godly form amongst the mortal men”) and even include a reference to the B side of the album (“Spoiler alert: the second act is tragic”). This song is fill of cold lyrics and soulful background vocals.

“Talk Up”

“Talk Up” is about the road Drake took to get to his success (“My money is young, my problems are old I promise I’m bridgin’ the gap”). Jay-Z raps about his experiences as a rapper (“Already a hood legend, I ain’t need no shine”). The collaboration with Jay-Z is an interesting surprise and is definitely impressive as he manages to reference Donald Trump, Kanye West and the death of XXXtentacion in one verse. This is particularly surprising seeing as XXXtentacion only died last week. The beat in this song is on fire and the rap is definitely a favourite among many Drake and Jay-Z fans.

“Is There More”

On “Is There More” Drake addresses how he is more than just a rapper but at the same time he questions what this ‘more’ is (“Is there more to life than digits and bankin’ accounts? Is there more to life than sayin’ I figured it out?”). The song includes some ambient sounds in the background, reflecting a seek for purpose and Nai Palm ends the song. The song shows Drake’s powerful rapping skills and the lyrics are a lot to unpack. The track is the last song on Side A which is mostly rap songs about his fame and success and it preludes to the Side B where we glimpse into this life Drake has that he doesn’t rap about.

Side A

Wow Side A is definitely my favourite side of the album and I am very very impressed. It is a representation of ‘Drake the rapper’ as he gets angry and vents about his way to success and reflects on his life. The lyrics definitely play to Drake’s ego as he brags about his success. In these twelve songs, Drake shows all sides of himself and proves his rap game is better than ever. The deep bass beats, strong vocal flow and lyrics that make me speechless make this the best we have seen from Drake.

SIDE B

“Peak”

On “Peak” Drake discusses his failed relationships that reached their ‘peak’ and then didn’t work out. He refers a lot to British culture, hinting that the girl he is talking about is British (“England breeds proper girls”). The song has mellow electronic sounds that remind me of “Marvin’s Room” and it introduces the Side B of the album as the more R&B side. The outro of the song is Stefflon Don, Vinessa Douglas and Rhea Kpaka. Overall a rather underwhelming start to the second half of the album.

“Summer Games”

“Summer Games” slows the tempo down as Drake addresses his heartbreak that occurred during the summer. Drake states in a very obvious way that the girl said ‘I love you’ too early and he wasn’t ready for the commitment (“You said ‘I love you’ too fast, so much for that, girl, summer just started and we’re already done”). He also addresses the effects of the internet in relationships (“You say I led you on but you followed me, I follow one of your friends you unfollow me”). The song has a very vintage electronic groove with deep synth sounds.

“Jaded”

“Jaded” is referring to the idea of being overworked or having too much of something (“Always felt like stickin’ round’s the same as being stuck”). Some believe this track is about Jorja Smith who is a bit younger than Drake (“Differences in ages, you’re old enough but you’re still a baby”). Drake is singing a lot more on this track but the song just seems like a filler song and it does not stand out. The deep bass drums and synth overlays help pick it up however (“Yes I’m hurting, yes I’m Jaded”).

“Nice For What”

After three slow dragging songs, Side B has finally turned up with “Nice For What”. “Nice For What” is a love letter to the women in his life as Drake addresses female empowerment. He knows what women go through in this digital age and the resistance they are met with but he wants them to know that he understands and appreciates them (“I’ve been peepin’ what you bringin’ to the table, workin’ hard girl everything paid for”). The pre-chorus and chorus is sung by Lauryn Hill and she definitely heightens the song (“Care for me, care for me, you said you’d care for me”). Also Leticia Wright is the one who says (“Watch the breakdown”). This upbeat number is an attempt to celebrate all the women who are suffering and their hard work (“You know dark days, you know hard times”). The fantastic R&B beat, the crisp drums and empathetic lyrics create a R&B spectacle I can’t get enough of.

“Finesse”

“Finesse” is about a woman in Drake’s life who he would rather have a kid with than his son’s real mother, Sophie Brussaux (“I want my baby to have your eyes”). The harmonies in this song are impressive and the hook is enticing. The slow R&B chorus and Drake’s voice dragging the notes creates a rather unique song with a haunting beat (“Can’t be in a room with you and stand on differents sides, you stay on my mind”).

“Ratchet Happy Birthday”

This track is a mellow upbeat song with slightly immature lyrics (“Petty bullshit shouldn’t excite you on your birthday”). Drake sings about a woman he knows who is lacking emotional feeling (“To be, to feel, to fill, that emptiness inside you”). Ironically this song does the same thing and is not a song I’m exactly raving about. It fails to dive into the bounce it so clearly needs and ends up dragging.

“That’s How You Feel”

“That’s How You Feel” addresses a girl Drake is interested in but he’s not sure if she feels the same way (“Told you I couldn’t really draw the line”). In this track Drake samples the live performance of Nicki Minaj’s “Boss Ass Bitch” (“Rule number one to be a boss-ass bitch”), potentially the best part of the whole song. The chorus has a unique rhythm that is easy to get stuck in your head (“I know you like to drink ‘til the sun up, grind ‘til you come up, work all winter, shine all summer”). This song has really good production and is a good mixture between rapping and singing.

“Blue Tint”

“Blue Tint” addresses an ex that Drake has got back together with and how he is surprised that she has changed and he’s ready to give her another chance (“Look who I’m fuckin’ again, I had her on ice but then I watched the ice get thin”). He also frequently refers to his money, power and reputation in the rap game (“My window got blue in the tint ooh”). Future also features on this song (“Blue faces, I got blue diamonds, blue tint yeah”). This song has a great modern drum beat however I do wish Future featured a little more on the song.

“In My Feelings”

No matter where I am, whenever this song comes on I will automatically start dancing. This is by far one of my favourite tracks from the album. The song is a love letter to the members of City Girls, a pop musical girl group (“Kiki, do you love me? Are you riding? Say you’ll never ever leave from beside me”). There are several vocal samples including the track “Smoking Gun” by Magnolia Shorty. Also “Lollipop” by Lil Wayne is used and the seventh episode of Atlanta, which stars Childish Gambino. The episode was titled ‘Champagne Papi’ and the character is saying how he needs a photo with Drake for his instagram. The song has a sick New Orleans bounce that makes you want to dance all night long, it is a pure R&B track (“Two bad bitches and we kissin’ in the wraith”).

“Don’t Matter To Me”

“Don’t Matter To Me” features a collaboration with the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson (“It don’t matter to me what you say”). The featured vocals of the late Michael Jackson give the song a rather nostalgic feel or a slightly haunting one, I haven’t decided which yet. In Drake’s verse he addresses an ugly breakup with an ex (“Drinking’s enough of a vice, drugs just aren’t suiting you right”). The song mixes classic R&B vibes with a modern edge and whether MJ’s vocals are welcoming or haunting, they are definitely surprising.

“After Dark”

Definitely the more sensual of lyrics on the album, “After Dark” addresses a girl Drake wants to hook up with and he explains exactly how he will do it (“Put your phone down, you’re gonna need two hands, after dark”). Drake sounds really good on this track, definitely some of his best vocals. The featured vocals from Ty Dolla $ign are impressive and they kind of steal the song (“You said ‘do anything but just don’t lie to me’, I said I ride for you girl you said you ride for me”). The song has a thumping beat with an interesting guitar riff. It is a true R&B beat and the collaboration between Drake, Ty Dolla and Static is one I didn’t know I needed so bad.

“Final Fantasy”

Just when you thought “After Dark” was as sexual as it was gonna get, Drake comes through with “Final Fantasy”. On this track Drake describes his sexual fantasies as he realises he does not address this often so he wants to tell this girl exactly what he wants (“Yeah I never really talk about dick that I wanna give you, or places I wanna get to, neck grab, head grab, arch back, heart attack, cardiac”). The song features a sample from the video game ‘Final Fantasy’. The song is a raw and honest view of Drake’s sex life (“Make that face up if you dare but just be prepared that I am gonna cause that lipstick to smear”), (“I hope that the apocalypse is the only thing that doesn’t come now - well what now?”). I really like the keys in the background and Drake rapping over R&B beats is definitely something I love to hear.

“March 14”

“March 14”, the final track of the album and let’s be honest whenever a Drake song has a date or place as the title you know it’s gonna be good. On this track, Drake has an in-depth honest conversation about his child (“She’s not my lover like Billie Jean but the kid is mine”). He discusses the idea of being a single father and how that was something he disliked about his own father growing up (“Single father, I hate when I hear it, I use to challenge my parents on every album now I’m embarrassed to tell ‘em I ended up as a co-parent”). He tells his son that he won’t have to worry about the struggles of having separated parents (“I don’t want you worry ‘bout whose house you live at or who loves you more...I’m too proud to let that come between me and you now”). The date March 14 could refer to the day Drake played ‘Fortnite’ with Ninja or the day he met Kanye West to help record his album. A melodic piano comes in at the end as Drake addresses his pain (“No one to guide me, I’m all alone, no one to cry on I need shelter from the rain, to ease the pain, I’m changing from boy to a man”). Proving that although he may rap about being successful and powerful, he is still lost and searching for himself.

Side B

Side B dragged in a few places and it is definitely a representation of ‘Drake the singer’. It may be slightly bitter but it is also extremely raw and honest. Side B has more slow R&B tracks reminiscent of his early career. While there are shining moments, the music on Side B doesn’t seem to stick as much as Side A.

Overall I think Scorpion is an album for the ages. Some lyrics are immature or bitter and some are just an outright brag about his fame, money and power. However with his climb to success and struggles he’s encountered on the way, it seems only fair that Drake should be allowed to rap about this. Side A is definitely the more rap focused side and it produces some quality jams like “Emotionless”, “God’s Plan” and “Talk Up”. Side B is the more raw and emotional R&B side that produces some honest and enticing tracks like “Nice For What”, “In My Feelings” and “March 14”. Side A is definitely my favourite side as it proves Drake’s rap game is stronger than ever, whereas Side B although had its shining moments, seemed to drag a little. The album may be more of a circle than an ongoing journey but it takes us on an emotional roller coaster that we will no doubt be experiencing for years to come.

[secretradiobrooklyn]

Two Lions In Love Edition | 6.19 & 6.26.21

Secret Radio | 6.19 & 6.26.21 | Hear it here.

 6/19: Juneteenth “Two Lions in Love Edition”

“Tropical use only” — drug salesperson

1. Daddy Don’t - “Bottom Side of Texas”

One of our favorite spots to play in the whole country is the Pilot Light in Knoxville — it’s not just the club, but the neighborhood and really the whole drive into town, digging into the Tennessee mountains. There’s a little St. Louis in its bricks and pathways too. One evening brought us a night with Daddy Don’t, which was a gal on guitar singing songs about the gal on drums, plus a guy onstage strictly to blow bubbles. They seemed so shy and so completely cool. Their set was hilarious and touching and maybe a little stumbly and thoroughly charismatic. I felt an overlap with Birdcloud and Schwervon and ‘90s Olympia but also definitely their own thing. I hope they’re doing cool stuff these days too.

2. Ennio Morricone - “Guerra e Pace Pollo e Brace” - “Grazie Zie” soundtrack

The great music find from the wedding of Josh and Ashleigh. We spent some time recently remembering what a fantastic time that was…

3. Panjabi MC - “Mundian to Bach Ke”

…because we all met up in Chicago this month to celebrate the marriage of Ren and Kiera! It was in the Morton Arboretum, bringing together both American and Indian families in one grand event. The music throughout the evening was lovely, from the ceremony (Josh on solo guitar) through the early events and the meal. Once the dance floor was opened, however, a whole new flavor dropped: the DJ rocked between Nelly and Indian dancefloor music, then over to Michael Jackson, then into Panjabi MC and on and on. We danced our faces off!

- “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” karaoke version with special guest star!

4. Sparks - “The Number One Song in Heaven”

“Gabriel plays it and God how he plays it!” I know everybody’s gonna be talking about Sparks soon because of the doc that just dropped, and it’ll be both from people who know everything about Sparks and from people who are brand-new zealots. Bring it on — I’m so looking forward to learning more about these guys… especially because, in just over a month, on August 6, there’s going to be a whole other film dropping that we’ve been looking forward to for years. It’s called “Annette,” and it’s directed by Carax, who did “Holy Motors” and “Lovers on the Bridge” — it’s his first movie in English and his first musical. But check this: Sparks wrote all the music! The cast includes Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Angèle AND Russell Mael … I mean, we couldn’t be any more excited for this film. It’s entirely possible that it won’t work at all, but it’s also entirely possible that it turns out to be the combined efforts of some of the most interesting artists working today.

5. T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - “Noude Ma Gnin Tche De Me”

We met up with Theo Welling recently just off Atlantic Avenue at a place with a questionable name and a brothel theme but a pretty epic back patio. Not only were there chandeliers and a disco ball hanging from the broad branches of the tree overhead, but the music was DEAD ON our tastes. When this song came on, it was like: they got us. There was some Francis Bebey a little later on, I mean it was the very stuff. And the thing is, this song totally rocked that patio. Because T.P. rules.

This is from Analog Africa’s crucial T.P. collection, “Echos Hypnotiques.”

6. Elsa - “Ecoutez”

The energy in French records from the ‘60s is crackling hard — this one 

We picked up this record at Dave’s Records when we were in town for Ren and Keira’s wedding. It happened to be Record Store Day as well, so we went to Dave’s Records, an old favorite with a “CDs — Never Had Em, Never Will” sign in the window. “They powered through CDs,” says Paige. That sign is this relic of them living through the ‘90s and ‘00s, really.”

7. Velvet Underground - “White Light/White Heat”

Theo was wearing a Lou Reed Transformer shirt that night and we spent some time talking about this crazy band. I feel like this track is the ultimate experience of VU where they find the most ragged frayed edge of pop music to ride and they spend the whole song there, until the end when they jump on the song like leopards on an antelope and start attacking it. But the song resists, takes off running, and actually gets quite a long ways before it is finally taken down. The ending sounds like a brutal act of nature.

8. Sroeng Sari - “Kuen Kuen Lueng Lueng”

It took me a while to stop and actually listen to this song — the opening riff is kind of blinding. You stare into that riff and think that you’re gonna have to deal with a whole version of “Iron Man,” but on the other side of the riff lies a fascinating new riff and completely independent verse shape. (I have no idea if the lyrics relate to the concept of “Iron Man.”) In fact, it turns out the riff is practically only used like a sample within the structure of the song, and it’s mainly not Iron Man at all. 

9. [REDACTED] Keep an eye out for the Extended Drunk Scarface Cut Edition.

[9. Paige Brubeck as Scarface & Tony S. in - “Favorite Gangster Friend” feat. Chumbawumba]

10. Midnight Oil - “The Power and the Passion”

Paige was a little too late for Midnight Oil, but she’s extremely receptive to an ideologically, ecologically driven band. “If I had heard that band when I was listening to ska music, I would have fuggin loved this band. I think I would have listened to this band a lot. The part of me that likes Reel Big Fish and the Pietasters… it’s very punk and then when the horns come in it’s like, Oh yeah I love this stuff.”

For me: I love the drum solo. It’s such an interesting full-length exploration of a few different ideas, and it helps point out the ways that the percussion operates in Midnight Oil songs. The overdubbed variations on the singer’s voice reminds me of techniques we used in Bound Stems. I really like that way of recording multiple emotions within a single line and just kind of smashing them together for a multi-faceted take on the lyric. I feel like “Jane Says” was the first recording where I noticed that approach. I also love the crescendo structure to the whole song. But to me, this feels like a song that was built to be played live but someone thought should be represented on the album. I think the transitions between the A, B and C parts are weird and unfinished, even though each of the parts is really good.

11. Phuong Dung - “Do Ai”

What a truly incredible voice… and the guitar accompaniment only slowly reveals its depth and litheness through the course of the song.

12. Group Inerane - “Ikabkaban”

This was a lucky discovery. It’s as much a state of mind as a recording of a song. The sound is very live and not ideal, which I do think ultimately makes it more interesting. There’s something about live recordings that can be embarrassing and compromised… or it can feel like lightning in a bottle. I think this one feels special. This sounds to me like desert blues. These are some of the notes on the track itself: “This album by the rebellious Tuareg musicians from Niger is certainly more hypnotic and less ecstatic than the first (which was recorded at a wedding celebration). It should be said that the guitarist Adi Mohamed, who played on the first album, was shot dead in a skirmish between the nomads and junta forces.”

Yow.

13. The Lemon Twigs - “As Long As We’re Together” (video version)

Now I should just say A) this is the video version of the song, and B) that’s the real version of the song as far as I’m concerned. This video is a perfect thing, at least to me. It was directed by Autumn de Wilde, who went on to direct the film “Emma,” which was one of the most enjoyable pieces of art we saw during the pandemic. (She initially got notice as a photographer before going into music videos.) The recording is masterful, with an intentionally pushed back main vocal and all kinds of panned effects both minimal and baroque. These guys were all teens when they wrote and recorded this song with Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado, which only makes it more (annoyingly?) brilliant. Also: this is our candidate for the song likeliest to get stuck in your head.

That video (I love the ending): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ4nqnVOfMo

- Nisar Bazmi - “Aesi Chal Main”

Pakistani music from a collection labeled “Folk and Pop Instrumentals 1966-1976.” It’s easy to imagine this as a folk song, but the instrumentation is so radically electric that it feels like new information being learned on the spot.

14. Katty Lane - “Ne Fais Pas La Tête” 

Another live recording. Actually, that’s probably not true: it’s a recording from a TV of a TV appearance that Katty made, almost certainly lip-synching the vocals. But it sounds better than the album version to us. Katty Lane is going for a cross between Nancy Sinatra and Brigitte Bardot, and it’s really interesting how close she gets but how far away she remains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T4gWLi5RUw

15. Ezra Furman - “I Lost My Innocence”

Man, the rhythmic arrangement of the opening verse knocks me out. The production on this whole album really, but the minimalist rhythmic clarity that comes from splitting the beat among a variety of instruments is so amazing. As a drummer I just find the pattern-building in this song enviable.

We got to know these songs well during a tour we did with Ezra Furman. The whole band is full of heavy hitters, including Tim Sandusky, the guy who recorded the album and plays a variety of instruments there and live. He’s one of my favorite musical brains, period, and “Transangelic Exodus,” the album this comes from, is one of my favorite pieces of album production, period.

16. Voilaaa - “Pas bon”

These are apparently contemporary people! This album is from 2015. I think Josh pointed us to this one.

17. Francois and the Atlas Mountains - “La Verité”

This a band Paige came across a couple of years ago, at 2222 Jefferson I believe. This chorus is a true tonguetwister and thus irresistable to try to sing along with. The melody is really strong, and check out how the guitar enters the solo!

18. Ata Kak - “Daa Nyinaa”

We had an amazing night in the back patio zone we share with our building. Dexter had a few friends over including a dude named KG who turned out to be super interesting on a variety of subjects. As we were talking about music he brought up Ata Kak, whose “Obaa Sima” we’ve played on here and who we absolutely love. Paige disappeared inside and came back with our tape of this whole album. He fell out, like what are we doing with this thing? I started telling the whole back story of how the album was discovered in a street tent in Ghana by the guy from Awesome Tapes From Africa, and eventually after many adventures actually tracked down Ata Kak, who was surprised to be found and even more surprised to find that the tape Awesome Tapes had found was distorted and ran way faster than originally intended. But then KG started playing that original tempo track, which does indeed sound comPLETely different. I still haven’t been able to find a way to get ahold of that original track. “Daa Nyinaa” is another banger off the same tape. The man just has a really great sense of what makes a hook.

19. Sakuran Zensen - “Taxi Man” 錯乱前戦　タクシーマンのMVです

This was a video that flickered through my feed a couple of years ago, I think thanks to Steve Scariano (not Steve Pick as I claim aloud). I don’t think a single recommendation of Steve Scariano has ever been the wrong answer — the man has impeccable taste. This song has all of the rock and all of the roll PLUS a ladder. It’s a strong song and an even stronger video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNmubstNGFs

20. New York Dolls - “Looking for a Kiss”

As soon as we were in the nasty distortion of Sakuran Zensen it was probably inevitable that we would go looking for the New York Dolls. The live performance of this song is worth the price of admission… and the drummer looks like one of the brothers from The Lemon Twigs!

21. Mina - “La verità”

Sometimes Italian is the only language that will do. It does tend to have its own melodic shapes separate from French. I adore the way she goes for the high notes in the chorus only to get to the climax, which is her dropping down into her lowest register to bitterly and sarcastically deliver the title phrase: “La verità:” “the truth.” I know just enough Italian to catch that her final declaration is “Sono stato io,” or: “It was me.”

22. Pylon - “Cool”

Pylon has been back in the news recently thanks to a big ol’ rerelease at the 40 year mark, and it’s a great way to get more in touch with a band that lies at the source of so much music we love. They are every bit as cool as the song.

23. Dalida - “Aghani Aghani”

Dalida is Egyptian born, in an Italian household, who first gained fame singing in French — or in Italian to French audiences. She ended up singing in 10 languages in all. She is a blockbuster French star with no parallel, though she died young by her own hand. “Aghani Aghani” is an Arabic medley that became a gigantic hit all across the Arab world and has since entered the fabric of the language and culture.

24. Betti-Betti & T.P. Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou - “Mbala”

We have been falling deeper and deeper for Betti-Betti’s songs. This one has so many of my favorite things that she does — the fantastic melodies that cycle past each other, the expressive horn lines, and the mouth percussion that totally transforms the song for me. We just recently got a different album of hers that we’re also really excited about; that one features an entirely different band in a different style. This one is T.P. though, those consummate collaborators, and this song is an epic joining of forces.

- Mulatu Astatke + Black Jesus Experience - “Mulatu”

25. Nick Drake - “Pink Moon”

Oh that strawberry moon with its red halo.

[nooneaskedme-but]

Album Review - California (Deluxe) by blink-182

Alright guys, here’s the deal. I’ll to be skipping the whole pre-review rambling because there’s a lot to cover here. Just know that yes, I am reviewing California for a second time; there’s less hype and a lot less bias this time around, so I feel it’ll be a much more accurate review.

Anyway, let’s get to it! Track by track review of blink-182’s California! (Again!)

1. Cynical - Still to this day, this is easily one of my favorite tracks on California. I think what won me over the most was the aggression in this song. They really shake their ‘just another pop punk band’ image here with the fast paced drumming and the straight to the punch guitars combined with Matt’s shouting in the chorus. It’s a perfect way to start off such a different album and I love every bit of this song from start to finish. - 10/10

2. Bored to Death - Okay, I don’t care what anybody says. Putting aside how absolutely iconic this song is, Bored to Death is definitely one of the better put together tracks on California, and I’m counting both the standard and deluxe tracks. I mean yeah, the lyrics still don’t make a lot sense to me, but compared to the cheap and useless filler I’ve heard on the rest of the album these are relatively harmless. At least these can be open to some sort of interpretation. I really appreciate the darker feel here, and the bridge is easily my favorite of any blink song post-DeLonge. I just wish they would’ve stuck to this caliber with the rest of the album, and I really they would’ve left Matt alone in the chorus, especially live. That being said, this still remains a favorite and probably will even alongside future releases. - 8/10

3. She’s Out of Her Mind - Right off the bat, this was one of my favorites off the album. It still is, but now I think of this song more as a novelty. It’s simple, it’s catchy, but that’s really about it. The lyrics are juvenile and rather cliche, but I’d be lying if I said this song didn’t still excite me whenever I hear it. - 7/10

4. Los Angeles - Initially, I equated this song to garbage, a mainstream pop atrocity that not even Dark Lord Skiba himself could save. But, after a few thorough listens and seeing it live twice, I’m going a bit easier on this track. I mean, it’s still a pretty big thumbs down for me but it has its merits. For starters I can dig the fact that they experimented and deviated from the ‘old blink’ style they tried so hard for. Moreover, something about Mark Hoppus and the bridge of this song gets me every time. - 5/10

5. Sober - I honestly don’t understand why this track gets so much flack (heh, I’m a poet and I didn’t even know it). In my opinion it trumps a good portion of the rest of California by a long shot. It’s rather mellow and laid back, and again not nearly as try-hardy as some of its counterparts on the album. In fact, to me it does a good job of illustrating both the playful, happy-go-lucky and the frustrating, trying times of adolescence. Not to mention, this song got bonus points from me knowing the first verse was basically Matt’s autobiography. - 7/10

6. Built This Pool - I’m just going to say, I find this song way more amusing than I should. - 9/10

7. No Future - This is another track I enjoyed pretty thoroughly and still do despite countless plays. I adore everything about this song, in particular the way Matt makes his place in the chorus with the jolting “NO FUTURE!” and the intense buildup into Matt’s verse (which is to die for, says I) along with the novelty pop punk style it was crafted in (stop-and-go guitars, simple yet fulfilling drum fills, etc.). Speaking of drums, the way Travis closes this song out combined with the matching structure of the ‘na-na’s is nothing short of godlike. No Future will forever be a favorite of mine. - 10/10

8. Home Is Such a Lonely Place - You know, I despised this song when I first heard it; it was way too mopey and pseudo-deep for me to possibly get behind. And, to be honest, not a lot has changed in the way of that opinion. It’s so…mundane. I just, it drags the album down than anything else and it really doesn’t belong. - 4/10 

9. Kings of the Weekend - I can sum this song up in one word and one word only: excitement. Actually, this song is more like excitement with a side of FUCK YEAH!!. Aside from the opening track ‘Cynical’, this track hands down has the best instrumental on the album. The chorus errs more on the side of modern punk rock and it it sounds really well-done. Simple, but very well-done. Also, the opening drum line has to be some of the funkiest shit Travis has done in a blink-182 song. - 10/10

10. Teenage Satellites - *groan*…Ugh, this song nearly makes me sick at this point. It’s so adolescent it hurts. I can appreciate simple songs. I can appreciate youthful reminiscing (to an extent). But this song, this fucking song, this is where I draw the line. It’s a saccharine, adolescent mess of teenage cliches centered around an octave riff Mark strummed off the top of his head one day. I used to think this song was relatively decent but now I can’t help but cringe now whenever I listen to it. - 4/10

11. Left Alone - If I could put aside the cheap lyrics and the fact that this song is basically an Angels and Airwaves rip off, I feel like I’d enjoy it a lot more. I’ll admit, though, I am a sucker for the guitar lined throughout in the verses, and Matt’s vocals are pretty fierce when the chorus hits. - 6/10

12. Rabbit Hole -  Okay, hear me out here. This song gets criticized left and right for its overall simplicity and basic nature. While both of those claims are completely valid, I happen to think that’s what makes this song so endearing. A song like this is meant to be fun, something that’s easy to listen to while you’re fucking around with your friends or whoever else. Not every song has to be so complex or even a lyrical masterpiece. Sometimes, it’s enough for a song to just simply sound pleasant, and that’s definitely accomplished here. It’s energetic, it’s pop punk as fuck, it’s blink-182. - 8/10

13. San Diego - Out of all the songs on the standard release, I feel that this one has the most, for lack of a better word, substance. Never mind the fact that it’s one of the few that doesn’t sound like a poorly made b-side of Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, you can just feel the emotion oozing out of this song and it’s fucking great. In such a flawless and iconic chorus, Matt Skiba takes the lead and really proves what he can do for the band. Hats off to Skiba and another hats off to this amazing song. - 10/10

14. The Only Thing That Matters - I think this song has a cute nature about it, and I think it’s a very accurate clash of both older generation blink-182 and Alkaline Trio (you know, the band Matt Skiba fronted happily before Mark kidnapped him and held him hostage). However, the chorus is way too lacking for me. Like, I can get behind the lovey dovey message but it’s so basic in its presentation that I just can’t get past it. - 6/10

15. California - Give it another year, just one more year, and I guarantee you’ll see this song used in some sort of Disney promo if it hasn’t been already. As a song it isn’t terrible, just rather flat and a little lackluster. I can’t say I hate it, though, even if I do find spending all your time inside while the weather’s perfect a little bit strange (and possibly a little bit manic). Also, the ending’s pretty cool, so there’s that. - 7/10

16. Brohemian Rhapsody - Yeah, I’m still fucking miffed that this song is literally only 15 seconds long. Everything about it’s perfect: the buildup, format, the staggering hammer-ons that Matt somehow flawlessly pulls off despite that being the furthest thing from his style! It’s all there! But no, they wasted a perfectly good instrumental on a tired fucking one-liner that was barely even amusing. Oh well, it still sounded badass and was definitely a fun way to bring the album to an end. -10/10

DISC TWO

1. Parking Lot - Holy shit. This song, holy shit. Now this, this is how you make an entrance to an album. Originally I made mention of Mark’s verse throwing the song off, but after coming back to this song many times I can see that’s what makes this song work. As much as I appreciate the fact Matt upped the punk factor times ten (and that’s a fuck of a lot), I’m glad there’s some variation, that it’s not like that the entire way through. All around, this song is fucking wicked and easily one of the top three of the deluxe tracks. - 9/10

2. Misery - Things slow down quite a bit with this track, but it packs a punch nonetheless. I haven’t found myself coming back to this one as much but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a really solid, really powerful song. I still swear that the way Matt shouts “I don’t need anyone!” in the chorus is what dreams are made out of. It also sounds like “I don’t eat anyone!”, but that’s besides the point. - 7/10

3. Good Old Days This is one song I find especially charming, due mainly to the early 2000s-esque dance chorus and the very eloquent use of synth throughout the entire song. However, the whole ‘I don’t wanna grow up!’ schtick is getting really fucking old. Now, I can understand wanting to feel young and to feel alive, but literally putting “and we’re not growing up” in a song is a tad bit sad to be honest. I fucking adore Mark Hoppus, but when he writes like that I just can’t take him seriously, and it lessens the quality of the song. Other than that, this track is pretty enjoyable and one I see myself coming back to in the future. - 7/10

4. Don’t Mean Anything - Ugh. U g h. Even tying this disaster of a song to blink-182 sullies their name. It’s just so bland and cookie-cutter and lacking any sort of effort or originality that it hurts. The only, and I mean the only points this song gets from me is Matt’s verse because he sings it really fucking well. Outside of that, this song needs to go back to the 2004 pop rock station they clearly ripped it from. - 4/10

5. Hey, I’m Sorry So, some time after the official release of California, this track was released as a Japanese bonus track. It took a few listens to really strike a chord with me, but now I can’t get enough of it. Also, I didn’t think I’d say this for a long time but I love Mark’s lyrical work here; it’s fucking stellar, as a matter of fact. This is another one of those experimental songs, but this one was definitely a success. I really dig the direction they went in with this one. - 9/10

6. Last Train Home - I was really glad to see they continued along that same vein of experimentation as heard in the previous track ‘Hey, I’m Sorry’. Initially, I cast this song off, thinking it wouldn’t pick up. But, it does. The song progresses slowly, and in a way that’s incredibly subtle. It’s very worth it if you can listen all the way through to the end. - 10/10

7. Wildfire - While I’m not exactly sure about Mark’s singing abilities here (in the chorus particularly), that doesn’t really concern me in this song, at least not as much as the fucking Xanax reference. Personally, I think this song is way too much fun to hate, and I know I am very much in the minority with that opinion. I mean, the classic blink-style riffs are all there alongside some gnarly Alkaline Trio influence, and it just has a very youthful aesthetic overall which I adore. I also admire how the song matures and progresses, starting off with Mark’s usual adolescent view of things and venturing into darker, more mature themes as Matt takes over. It gives the song another dimension, which I feel the rest of the album severely lacks. - 8/10

8. 6/8 - I’d argue that this is the absolute heaviest song blink-182′s released in the history of their career. Sure, the Self Titled album had a lot of experimentation and some heavier tracks, but there was nothing quite like this. This song’s a bit dreary, and it’s fucking rad. I won’t attack the fact that they named the it after the time signature for the drums, because honestly that’s just nitpicking (and I am not about that life…). But, I will claim that this would’ve been astronomically better had it been fronted by Matt. He has just the voice and singing capabilities to make this song as riveting and intense as it needs to be. Nonetheless, it’s still a badass track and a definite thumbs up from me. - 8/10

9. Long Lost Feeling - I feel like this song is more buildup than anything. It’s soothing, but it takes way too long to get to anything worth while. Mark also manages to make the first half as boring as he possibly can, so there’s that. If you can stay awake until you get to the second half of the song, it’s actually really pretty sounding and quite pleasant. You just have to get there. - 6/10

10.  Bottom of the Ocean - No. Nope. N o p e. Fuck this song. At this point there’s not a hint of soul to be found, not a fucking ounce of integrity. Usually I say every song has its merits, but nope. I hate to be that ‘that guy’, but they sold out with this song, point blank. I am so glad this abomination never touched the original release. As stated above, fuck this song. - 1/10

11. Can’t Get You More Pregnant - I’ve already discussed this song far too much for a joke track, so I’m just going to laugh at the fact that a scientist actually proved this idea wrong, stating you actually can get a girl ‘more’ pregnant. Ha ha ha. - 8/10

12. Bored to Death (Acoustic) - Originally, I was under the impression that this would be a brand new studio recording. But, instead, it’s audio ripped from a live recording and mastered in the studio. Was a I bit let down by that in the beginning? Maybe a tad. But, with the audience so haughtily cheering in the background and Matt’s lyric change to “Mark’s head”, I actually prefer this to a brand new stand alone recording. In doing it this way, they laid a lot heart on it and made it a perfect closer to the album. Not to mention, Mark and Matt sound fucking top notch on this track. Simply put, this was a beautiful addition and I loved it much more than I thought I would going in. - 10/10

*phew*

All-in-all, I was a bit let down by the rest of the deluxe tracks. To be fair, that’s probably mainly due to the fact that the one’s released hyped me up so much and shot my hopes sky high. Actually, no. They just sucked. But, that’s okay. There are a number of solid songs on the deluxe release, and I’ve gained a much stronger appreciation for the original release of California after being introduced to these songs. So, there is a silver lining here.

Overall Rating - 6/10

Stay Tuned for More!