#this can go with Andrew's other greatest hits

[waugh-bao]

[queer-lovebot]

Time Loop AU where Aaron and Andrew graduate, go their separate ways, somehow even worse than before because they never could figure out how to understand each other. And then they get looped back into their final group therapy session with Bee. Neither of them are aware of it, they can’t avoid it. They have to figure out what went wrong in that session that caused them to never speak to each other again. Because that session is their last chance.

Get the greatest hits of:

- One or both of them walking away

- Fist fighting to solve their problem

- Saying something eerily similar to each other

- The inherent discomfort of knowing you both somehow fucked this up, but both being too proud and turned around to admit it. Too many secrets and too little understanding. But a desire to want to at least Pretend that they were actually family.

The timeloop continues until they either A) make up (or the closest they can get to it) or

B) finally resolve whatever is left of their relationship to be content with cutting the chord.

[princeescaluswords]

Hi! I’m quite new to the Teen Wolf fandom lol, but I just read your post on realists, optimistic pragmatists, etc. and was wondering what you think the other main characters are in that analysis?

I have some ideas, but these are not nearly as well-developed as my thoughts on Theo and Scott. I paid a lot of attention to Theo because he was the only person who talked about a philosophical underpinning for his decisions. I paid a lot of attention to Scott because he's the Lead Protagonist of the series.

Some are easy, like Peter Hale. He's an egoist, but he hasn't bothered to try to pursue what is called ethical egoism. He's the worst type of self-important Andrew-Tate-esque Machiavellian wannabe. I mean, his own summary to Kate in Orphaned (4x06) hits the nail on the head.

Peter: You know, I used to get angry. As a kid, I would even break my own toys in little fits of rage. And then I asked myself, "Why break your own toys when you can break someone else's?"

Things have value only when they get him what he wants. For example, he claims to value family, but that didn't stop him from killing Laura or abusing Derek repeatedly if it helped him gain power. He only really starts to care for Malia once he realizes that Scott and Stiles are right -- his behavior has left him alone and thus his existence and value has become precarious.

Derek on the other hand, is an American romanticist. It is more palatable than naked egoism, but it is individualistic to his detriment. To summarize my interpretation -- the American romantic sees himself defined by his opposition to his treatment by both nature and society. Derek's behavior shows that self-definition -- he believes in himself -- but also that innate isolation -- he believes only in himself. It leads him to do things like refuse to see Scott and Allison's relationship as anything but a replay of his own relationship with Kate, even though they're not the same thing. It leads him to recruit his four betas into a war he can't win because he can't imagine a life without a pack family, and thus can't imagine that they might put surviving above having that same connection. His self-focus is less deliberate than Peter's but no less damaging.

The Stilinskis, father and son, share the same philosophy, and I think the closest they come is utilitarianism: any behavior is ethical if it brings the greatest amount of good to the greatest amount of people. They're just not very skilled at it. To me, a key aspect of utilitarianism as a force for social welfare is the universality of the population it's meant to serve. Stiles's ethics suffer because he tries to restrict the number of people benefiting from his actions, which defeats the point of "greatest number of people." The Sheriff's ethics suffer similarly because he doesn't see supernatural creatures as people. (I know that's a weighty judgment -- pretty much an accusation of bigotry -- but it's too big for me to go in depth here).

That's all I have right now, other than half-baked ideas about the Argent Code and Immanuel Kant, but they're not nearly coherent enough to share. Again, I'm sure people could disagree with me about these, and I encourage them to!

Thanks for listening to my ramble.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #563

Top Ten Moments in The Transformers’ Lost Light Saga

I’ve written about Transformers a lot on here. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t the single thing I’d written blogs about the most (followed by the MCU and then, I dunno, probably Hey Duggee). It’s the biggest “thing” in my life – the media franchise I enjoy and engage with the most. And I’ve definitely ranked favourite moments before. But I wanted to return to it – yet again – for a couple of reasons.

2012 marks the ten-year anniversary of my favourite run of Transformers, across its entire nearly-forty-year history: the comics More Than Meets the Eye and Lost Light. These comics, written by James Roberts in collaboration with several artists (but predominantly Alex Milne and Jack Lawrence), tell one epic tale of friendship, tragedy, comedy, political discourse, allegory, and references to obscure British pop culture. As it happens, I’ve re-read the entire series whilst on tour with the BBC, so it’s all fresh in my mind; also another reason to revisit it in a list.

There’s another, kinda serendipitous reason to look back over IDW’s time with Transformers. This week just gone, the last ever Transformers book published by IDW was released. It is, I think, sixteen years since they first had the licence, and the breadth of great comics they’ve produced – from the first Infiltration series by Simon Furman and EJ Su to the most recent continuity written by Brian Ruckley, by way of MTMTE, Robots in Disguise, Furman and Andrew Wildman continuing their nineties G1 run in Regeneration One, and the recent sort-of-not-in-continuity Last Bot Standing by Nick Roche and – him again – EJ Su – is remarkable. It’s a hell of a run, the best the franchise has ever been handled by one company. No film, no animated series, no other published comics come close for me. How the merry hell do they follow this?

For the first time, though, I’m singling out one specific arc – the Lost Light Saga, for want of a better title (I would also consider “Sad Gay Robots in Space”) – and just picking the best bits. I’m also doing deep on why they’re the best. And I’m going to try to say where you can find this great bit of a great comic!

This is a celebration. I want that to come through. I hope that when all is said and done – and this might end up being my last word on the Lost Light – that the myriad reasons why I adore this series is evident. The nuance of the writing, the fidelity of the artwork, the breadth of the allusion, the comedy, pathos, empathy, sadness, love. It’s a masterful piece of work that had me tearing up multiple times, sometimes over bits that I didn’t remember or that just didn’t hit me first time round.

Also, y’know, spoilers. I’ll put a break in. But if you do want to enjoy the saga in its entirety, maybe don’t read this list. Buy the paperbacks, get it on Kindle, scour your local comic shop for back issues. And then maybe you’ll join me in wishing happy birthday to the greatest iteration of my favourite franchise.

And I really want to emphasise that. Transformers really is my thing. it was the first cartoon and comic I fell in love with. It’s remained more important to me than, say, Star Wars or the MCU, or other childhood loves like Ghostbusters, Turtles, and even my beloved orange meatball with stripes, Garfield. Transformers is really the only thing I can see myself going to conventions for on the reg, a thing that just speaks to me, that I get unequivocally nerdy about. I wouldn’t say it’s like a religion but it probably occupies the same irreducible part of my soul that, like all the cultural bits of Catholicism, will never leave me, no matter what. And all of that – the length and breadth of it, the joys and sorrows, the heart and soul – my favourite bit of Transformers are these comics. I think I’ve said it before, but they achieved something.

“Don’t change back”: the arc of Megatron becoming an Autobot was one of those it’ll-never-work things that did work, and it worked so damn well. It became an examination of corruption and ideology and self-determinism and, well, the nature of tyranny, but also guilt and acceptance. Megatron, now a determined pacifist, is compelled back to violence to defend his new friends, but in doing so slaps a Decepticon badge over his Autobot one. When the dying Ravage – always sceptical and disapproving of his former boss’s change to the red team – notices, he reaches his hand out to touch the badge and says “don’t change back”. Back to what? Back to being an Autobot? Or back to being a Decepticon? These were his last words, and we’ll never know what they mean. And I really need to underline, Ravage is one of my favourite characters, and this is how he died. It just helps to underline the massive schism in Megatron’s psyche, his own continued self-doubt, the betrayal his former friends now feel, and – yes – his continued guilt. Quite how this ridiculous plot thread, imposed upon the writer by the publisher, turned into the cornerstone and most compelling element of the entire run is just exceptional writing and character work.

“Even Team Whirl”: this is two-fold because it’s a great moment and a call-back. The first time we see Whirl he’s about to kill himself. He’s filled with self-loathing because he’s been abused and mistreated, he’s a violent loner who’s alienated all his friends, and because he might have started the war in the first place. He’s a horrible person who we don’t really like but very slowly we grow to love him as he opens up. And then when Rodimus gives to inspire everyone he includes Whirl – “even Team Whirl” he says – and Whirl does seem to notice. Then, at the very end, Whirl has enough self-belief in his own latent goodness that he can open the Matrix, saying to himself “Even… Team… Whirl…”. So it’s partly the story of Whirl’s redemption and how he learns to believe in himself, and also a story about how Rodimus is just a cool guy and super-inspiring.

“Goodnight, little one”: after Getaway grooms and gaslights Tailgate, he outlines the four steps a Transformer takes to codify their relationship (basically, wedding vows). Tailgate is rescued by Cyclonus, but as they’re pinned down by security forces, we see the four steps play out again: actions that Cyclonus has taken over the years – instinctively, selflessly, without thinking – that prove how much he’s always loved Tailgate. It’s a heartbreaking encapsulation of their relationship when Tailgate realises all of this, realises Cyclonus is the right one after all. Then Cyclonus is shot to pieces.

“Megatron was able to open it when you couldn’t…”: might need a bit of explaining this, but the whole saga ends with the team opening multiple Matrixes (Matrices?) at the same time. Except they only open if you feel like you deserve to open them, that you’re good enough. Throughout, Rodimus has been an egocentric do-gooder who wants everyone to think he’s ace; that he’s a true Prime, essentially. He opens his Matrix effortlessly. But later he tells a court that he couldn’t open it, but Megatron could; he lies to the universe to try to get them to pardon the guy who started the war and once tried to kill him. This evolution of their relationship and his own personality is so beautifully sad and, ultimately, heroic. Like a true Prime.

“I love you”: why are so many of these sad? Despite what I said about Tailgate and Cyclonus, the defining relationship of the series is Chromedome and Rewind. One can read people’s minds by injecting their skulls; the other is constantly recording everything and saving the footage to a vast database. When Rewind dies, Chromedome wants to remove the memories of his dead love from his own mind; but a recording by Rewind, spliced together from dozens of different videos, leaves him a beautiful but tragic message from beyond the grave, culminating in three very simple words. Chromedome decides not to wipe his own mind.

“Remember me as I was”: one of the best long-running arcs in the series was the frequent flashbacks to old Cybertron (we’ll see more of this later). The mysterious, unnamed senator who befriended Orion Pax – with his vibrant, ever-changing colour scheme and propensity for emotional outbursts – is a mysterious and slightly sinister character. What’s his game? Is he grooming Orion? And then as the real sinister villains take over, the scale of the senator’s punishment is horrific and severe and we discover that his face, hands, and entire personality has been irrevocably altered, and he was in fact the cold, emotionless, logical Shockwave, one of the most notorious Decepticons. It’s a terrific origin for a popular character, suitably shocking and unexpected; a great twist.

“We’re going to steal the Matrix”: still back in the past for this, another classic cliffhanger ending. After establishing Orion Pax as the supercop who can’t be stopped, we have a number of plot threads converge as the scale of the evil Cybertronian Senate and the sinister, fascistic Functionists becomes apparent. Knowing what must be done, Orion hatches a simple but impossible plan: steal the Matrix. It turns a flashback mystery-cum-character piece into, all of a sudden, a Cybertronian heist movie; Orion’s Eleven. And it is, of course, excellent.

“It happened off-panel”: it’s a funny book, this, and sometimes you just need a good gag. I was tempted to include the Holiday Special and its “Contrivance Engine”, but really my favourite of the Red Dwarf-style silly sci-fi gags is the Meta-Bomb – “it blows a hole in the fourth wall”. Swerve – comic relief with a tragic backstory – presses it and instantly becomes a sort of metafictional narrator, semi-outside of the narrative, not quite Deadpool but a step removed. The fact that this gag, making use of and fun of the comics medium, is great in and of itself is one thing; but it also sets up further developments down the road. And that’s the funny thing about comedy; the banter and the gags makes you fall in love with the characters, so when a writer twists the knife it hurts that much more.

“Tell Whirl he can have my hands”: Ratchet is a grumpy doc with a heart of gold, but it’s the grumpiness that comes to the fore more often. His Spock/McCoy banter with Drift is a solid part of the story’s early years, and one would be forgiven for thinking Ratchet was a hard, flinty sort. But when the chips are down – faced with a rampaging Overlord and certain death – he doesn’t flinch for a second, defending the needy and immediately barking orders, bestowing favours and generosity. Whirl’s loss of hands and the abuse that loss signifies is a great weight on his soul, and instantly Ratchet offers to alleviate that. It’s so fast, so instant a thought, that its generosity takes me by surprise.

“It’s not funny at all. It’s tragic”: we end where we began, with Megatron’s redemption, and once again with a fashback narrative – here Megatron talking via a sort of time travel phone with not-Optimus-yet Orion Pax. Pax, assuming he’s talking to the Megatron of his own time, is a big fan of his future foe, wants to get him to join the fight; Megatron, speaking from the future, drops a couple of cryptic references to their eventual animosity. There are shades of Macbeth or Milton’s Satan when he says he couldn’t turn back now even if he wanted to, but he acknowledges he will join Pax “eventually”. Tragic doesn’t cover it.

There we are then. I don’t know what else to say. I’m sad it’s over but I’m happy it happened. We achieved something. Oh boy.

[she-karev]

Out of Nowhere

Age Rating: 12+

Chapters: Three of Six

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

AN: This chapter takes place in season 14 episode 9 when Jo is confronted by her abusive ex-husband. I will take one shot requests.

Summary: Amber figures out who her stalker is and helps Jo with her abusive ex-husband.

Words: 2921

I sit in the attending’s lounge talking to a couple of police officers who were called in by Andrew. Chief Bailey gave us the lounge after we explained what happened so we can have privacy. Andrew is standing by my side for which I am grateful for.

“And you didn’t recognize the vehicle in question?” Officer Royce asks, “Nobody in your building drives a black Lexus?”

“No.”

“Look the guy didn’t just follow her after work he followed her back to the hospital and waited outside.” Andrew explains.

“Sir please calm down we’re getting her statement.” Officer Jennings turns to me, “Do you have any idea who it could be? An ex-boyfriend or spouse? Someone you went on a date with recently? He usually lives in the same city.”

“No, my exes all live in Iowa and New York and I just moved here a month ago my circle is really small.” I pull out my phone and show them the message board, “I tried blocking him but he messaged me this time from the hospital in real time. He took those photos from a corner while I was working.”

“Has he approached you physically?” Royce asks, “Has he been violent to you?”

“No he hasn’t but he’s here I mean the evidence is right there on my phone.” I glare at them and continue, “Are you gonna find this guy and make him stop?”

“We’ll trace the phone to the source but odds are it’s a burner phone based on the ID. And even then, he could throw the phone away.” Andrew scoffs at Jennings, “I understand your concerned but we’ll do our best to find out who’s been calling you and bring him in for questioning.”

“We typically advise people in your situation to keep close to someone at all times so he doesn’t approach you when you’re alone. Also, you should keep a record of every incident of harassment.” He pulls out a handheld notebook that I take, “If he calls you, texts you, follows you write it down. It’s a sure way to gain credibility and get a restraining order and possibly jail time.”

“Possibly?” Andrew asks in frustration, “This guy followed her in his car last night, he could’ve run her off the side of the road and make her hit a pole or worse. Would he ‘possibly’ get jail time then?”

“Andrew calm down.” I tell him under my breath and face the cops, “Thanks for the help officers.” I lead them out of the door and close it to face Andrew who fumes, “I let you stay in the room so I could be stopped from pissing off the cops but I think I should’ve done that for you instead.”

“How are you not angry right now?” Andrew asks incredulous, “I mean the cops basically gave the guy a free pass to attack you in the middle of the pit and you don’t see a problem with that?”

“Of course, I see a problem with that but I expected this from the beginning.” I tell him this harsh reality, “A woman being followed is low priority against a murder or a hospital hacking. I appreciate your concern but the harsh truth is that other than a blocked number I haven’t given much for the cops to go on.”

“Well, you’re not just gonna be a sitting duck for this guy.” He says it with conviction, “I’m between places right now but I can get us a hotel room until the police catch this guy.”

“I told Alex and he’s offered to let me stay at his loft for a while.” I inform him and he nods.

“Okay good.”

“Yeah, it’s a loft and I’m sure it’ll be cramped.” I grin and Andrew grins back.

I chuckle lightly as a thought comes to me, “What is it?” Andrew asks.

“Normally my friends seeing me hugging you and kissing you would be my greatest concern but this takes the cake.” I grin at the cruel irony, “Do you think they would buy it if I told them you were giving me body warmth after I contracted pneumonia.”

“I don’t think even Glasses is dumb enough to fall for that.” I snort at his joke, “Qadri knows and you said she was cool with it.”

“There’s a difference she’s not awful Roy and Helm on the other hand are gonna make it their mission to never let me live this down.” I groan as I imagine their sneers, “I need to go back out there the place is falling apart and Bailey gave us the room until after the cops leave.”

“Okay let’s go back to the pit come on I’ll walk you.” I stand up and follow him back to the pit feeling calmer now that I know he’s by my side through this nightmare

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

Alex sits in a bench putting his surgical booties on so he can place a shunt in Frankie’s AVM. As he finishes, he sees someone he recognizes sitting on the bench next to him too. He pales as he sees the man next to him is Dr. Paul Stadler. The last time he saw Stadler he tracked him down and contemplated what to do about him and decided to let him go knowing it’s not what Jo would have wanted him to do.

Every cell in his body right now wants to beat him up but he reins it in and keeps his voice calm so as to not raise suspicion, “What are you doing here?”

Paul looks at Alex, “Hi Paul Stadler, Orlando Medical.”

“Yeah, I know who you are.” He says with a slight of anger he’s feeling.

Paul feigns innocence, “I’m sorry have we met before? You know your face looks kind of familiar like someone else’s.” Paul has a slight malice in his eyes that Alex catches and Paul continues to play dumb, “I just got in yesterday, do you have a brother or a sister?” He emphasizes the sister part making it clear he knows who he is and who Amber is.

Alex connects the dots and realizes Jo’s abusive husband is also Amber’s current stalker, making his blood boil more if that was possible. Just as he’s about to snap Helm runs outside the O.R. calling for him, “Dr. Karev, Dr. Shepherd said Frankie’s angio shows a bleed.”

“Yikes don’t let me keep you.”

Alex ignores Paul and rushes inside the scrub room making Frankie his priority right now. However, his girlfriend and sister’s safety is still on his mind as he faces Helm, “Intern what’s your name?”

“Helm. Like Hellmouth without the outh.”

“Don’t scrub. I need you to find Dr. Wilson and Dr. Karev and bring them here.” Alex tries to keep calm even when his worries skyrocket.

“You want me to call them?”

“No.” Alex says sharply, “I want you to find Jo Wilson and Amber Karev and bring them both here. And don’t leave either of their sides.”

“Why?” Helm asks annoyed.

“Just do it.” His sharp tone makes Helm walk out. Alex faces the sink tensely ignoring Amelia when she asks what’s going on.

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

I stretch my neck releasing the knots that formed while I helped transfer nine patients from the pit to other area hospitals. The AC was shut off by the hackers and as a result I’m wearing a layer of sweat all over my body. The blood bank is locked out as well and until emergency shipments are brought in employees are encouraged to donate blood. I decided to take the initiative as well as Andrew who is next to me filling out the paperwork.

I exhale as I fan myself with the clipboard, “If I die of heat exhaustion, I give you an order to not resuscitate me.” Andrew chuckles, “I’m starting to think that Black Mirror was on to something about technology being the end of good and honest society.”

“I wouldn’t know I’ve never seen it.” I look at him baffled by his lack of pop culture again, “I’m a doctor I don’t have time to relax and binge on Netflix. Sue me.”

“If we make it out of this nightmare alive, I am making it my personal mission to catch you up on all my favorite movies and tv shows.”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m in for a scary and bloody ride?” Andrew asks with a grin.

“You are but don’t worry you can curl up next to me when the scary parts come on.”

“In that case I can’t wait.” I chuckle at his eagerness to be close to me.

“Clear!” I look to my left and see the source is from Casey Parker who put the defibrillator paddles inside the blood bank keypad. He charges the paddles and the keypad short circuits, Casey then opens the door, “We have blood!”

I look at Andrew who is also impressed by Casey, “I guess we don’t need to give blood.”

Andrew puts our clipboards away, “Back to the pit of hell.” I groan and reluctantly walk by him in the direction of the pit. Helm sees us and runs to us with an annoyed face.

I glare at her and speak before she can, “Helm back away I don’t want to hear your opinions on us.”

“Oh, I have a lot trust me.” I roll my eyes, “But I’m not here for that I’m here because your brother sent me to find you and Dr. Wilson and bring him to his O.R.”

“What? Why?” My anger shifts to confusion at Alex’s request.

“I don’t know.” Helm looks confused too, “All I know is that he wants me to find you two and bring you to him he sounded really serious and quite frankly scary. Did word get back to him about your little moment in the elevator?”

“Helm watch it.” Andrew says sharply, “Did you find Dr. Wilson?”

“No I just spotted you and I don’t know where Dr. Wilson is, she was supposed to be working on Frankie.”

“Okay I’ll find her and bring her to Alex’s O.R.” I turn to walk away but Andrew gently grabs my arm.

“Whoa hey are you sure it’s a good idea to walk around here alone?” I see Helm roll her eyes out of the corner of my eyes but I ignore her.

“I’ll be fine I won’t be alone and I haven’t heard from him since the elevator. Besides Alex sounds pissed and as much as I want to see it I would rather Helm not be on the other side of his fury.”

“I heard that.” Helm says.

“You were supposed to.” I focus back on Andrew who still looks worried, “I’m gonna look for Jo in the gallery’s and Helm will take the lounge’s. You should get back to the pit though they’re probably still swamped. I’ve got this and I’ll call you if I need any help.”

“You promise?”

“I promise. Now go.” Andrew nods still looking concerned but leaves me and Helm in the hall, “Did you already look at this floor?”

“Yeah I checked the lounges and the patient rooms but I didn’t find her. I was gonna look at the surgical floor next, I got this you can go.”

“No, I’m coming with you.”

“Look I got this.” Helm snaps and I narrow my eyes at her, “You should go help your boyfriend in the pit god knows where else you helped him here.”

“Hey guys are the blood banks still locked I want to donate.” Qadri approaches us at the worst possible time.

I ignore her as I face Helm with an angry face, “Helm if you have a problem woman up and tell me to my face before I punch it.”

Dahlia widens her eyes, “Bad timing?”

“I would love to tell you all the problems I have with your privileged ass, but I don’t want to piss off Dr. Karev.” Helm states, “And unlike you I don’t have all the advantages handed to me in a silver platter.”

I get in her face, “You don’t know anything about me Helm. Nothing, so why don’t you try keeping your mouth shut about things you don’t know but of course that would render you a mute. My personal life is my business not yours to judge and insult, Dahlia got that when she found out and she agrees with me.”

Helm faces Dahlia in shock who looks at us in painful awkwardness, “You knew?!”

“Only for a tiny bit and it was an accident.” Dahlia explains.

Helm scoffs and turns back to me, “The only reason she’s cool with it is because you two didn’t work as hard as I did to get here.”

I roll my eyes at her, “God I swear it’s like you’re actively trying to make everyone hate you.”

“Yeah, well not everyone can be born pretty like you or have a famous last name or sleep with a senior resident.” I keep my temper even so I don’t deck her, “Some of us have to work harder than others and it makes us bitter especially towards people like you who had it easy.”

“Keep talking and I’ll make you work harder with a chipped tooth.” Dahlia gets in the middle.

“Guys can we save this cat fight for when the hospital isn’t falling apart? And besides don’t you have work to do?”

“Fine.” Helm says with indifference, “I’m not an invalid I can handle this on my own because you are the last person I want help from.”

“Well your wrong to think I’m helping you I’m helping my brother who would no doubt yell at you for stalling us and wasting time.” Helm closes her mouth at that and walks away from us. I groan at her before walking in the opposite direction. It aggravates me that Helm immediately assumes my life was easy and I had my success bought by my family.

If she knew even half the things, I went through growing up she would feel like the biggest idiot in the world. I almost want to tell her and make her eat her words but doing that would make me a pariah among the interns. I won’t give her that satisfaction, I’ll just have to beat her in an O.R.

I check the gallery above O.R. 3 and I find Jo sitting there alone observing the surgery, “Hey.” Jo looks at me with a startled expression, “I was looking for-”

Jo shushes me, “Be quiet.” I stop talking and I look to see that Jo isn’t just startled, she’s terrified. She looks at the surgery below with a frightened face that until now I’ve never seen on her. I close the door quietly behind me and take a seat next to her.

“What’s wrong?” I whisper to her to make her feel safe but it doesn’t work because she’s still looking at the surgery in frozen silence. More specifically she’s looking at the guy across from Dr. Grey as they operate on a woman. I recognize the man as Dr. Paul Stadler, I’ve researched him enough and used many of his cases for my classes to know who he is and what he looks like. I look to Jo and she’s still looking at him like he’s gonna jump up the gallery and kill her, “Jo what is it? Do you know him?”

“So Jo Wilson.” Dr. Stadler’s voice calls to me and I look down at the O.R. with her but with curiosity instead of fear, “Has she said some things about me?” Dr. Grey isn’t answering him and I begin to suspect she’s ignoring him, “I can only imagine. Was she drunk when she told you?”

“Suction and laps please.” Grey told the nurse and Stadler continues to reveal more information on what’s happening here.

“I think what Brooke craved from me was stability. I mean the way she was raised. Her mother abandoned her. She lived in her car in high school and I thought I could help her, save her. And for a few years I mean she was great.” I understand now what’s happening and why Alex wanted to find us. But I’m too stunned to ask Jo as we both listen to Paul’s side of the story intently, “But it didn’t last because she’s not stable, and she wasn’t able to hear that, ever. She would get…just awful if you tried to mention that she needed help. I wish…but she vanished with a lot of my money. Hey I mean if she’s got it figured out, then that’s all that matters. If she’s happy I’m happy too.”

I know that his words are just for show. I know this because I’ve grown up with abusive assholes like him whether it’s foster fathers or brothers and I know a guy hiding behind a peaceful persona when I see one. It takes a while for me to find the words and ask Jo what I already know.

“He’s your husband, isn’t he? The one you’re hiding from.”

Jo’s breathing goes shallow but she swallows and answers, “Yes.” I don’t say anything else I just hold her hand so she knows she’s not alone with him right now and she grips my hand for dear life as if she needs to be reminded of that too. I let her hold on to me as we observe her abusive ex husband operate below us.

[denimbex1986]

'Paul Mescal has opened up about his heartwarming experience playing Andrew Scott’s lover in All of Us Strangers.

On 26 January 2024, the highly anticipated fantasy drama, written and directed by acclaimed creative Andrew Haigh, will finally hit cinemas in the UK.

Based on the novel Strangers by Japanese novelist Taichi Yamada, the film follows screenwriter Adam (Scott) as his monotonous everyday life is forever changed following a chance encounter with his mysterious neighbour Harry (Mescal) and the mysterious return of his deceased parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell).

Over the last few months, All of Us Strangers has received universal acclaim at various film festivals for its moving story, incredible acting performances and Haigh’s directing.

Alongside the aforementioned praises, the film has garnered attention for the electric chemistry between Mescal and Scott.

With the film’s release date right around the corner, the Normal People star gushed about playing Scott’s lover during his new Variety’s Actors on Actors interview.

“To play love is such a great privilege, I think. And to do it with Andrew Scott, who’s the king of playing love. It’s just innate in his being both as an actor and as a human,” Mescal explained to the May December star Natalie Portman.

“But to kind of go into scenes with him is one of the greatest honours of my career to date.”

The Aftersun actor also reflected on the intense love scenes in All of Us Strangers – which Portman described as “tender and hot” – and the lack of gay sex scenes in Hollywood films.

“I think it has to do with the junction that I think we’re at in the industry. And I think films like this are an indication of a distance that we’ve travelled, but ultimately, there’s quite a ways to go,” he continued.

“I’m probably not equipped to answer that fully in terms of what that actually means; all I can talk about is my experience with filming those [scenes]. And the attempt to make something that felt both, as you said, trying to make something that felt hot and sexy but also that doesn’t work in a narrative context if it’s not motivating the characters.”

“Like you have Andrew Scott’s character, Adam, who is in his mid-40s, who has a difficult relationship with his relationship to sex. Harry serves as a safe landing space for him to re-explore his sexuality. Which I think is really moving and really sexy.”

Mescal’s interview comes a few weeks after Scott dished to Entertainment Weekly about the two forming a close friendship while playing a couple.

“To play being in love or falling in love with someone, it’s the best, completely wonderful thing to be able to do,” Scott explained.

“We were starting to get to know each other [as people], as well. Beyond our preliminary friendship, it was like both of those experiences were coexisting.”...'

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, February 16

BUFFY: I can't let you do it, Faith. FAITH: You're confused, Twinkie. (smiles ironically) Let me clear you up. (points at Angel) Vampire. (points at herself) Slayer. (points at Angel again) Dead vampire. BUFFY: There's a lot that you don't understand.

~~Revelations~~

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for at least one new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more here.

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

The Other Malfoy Part One by Zorak23 (Fang Four, Harry Potter xover, T)

Hands Off by MillennialCryBaby (Buffy/Spike, E)

Aflame by HollyDB (Buffy/Spike, E)

The Transition by TheRealJeanGenie (Buffy/Spike, T)

Hot Knife by Lady Emma (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Soul Connections - Ch. 3 by decapiitare (Wesley/OC, Cordelia/OC, G)

The Key To Being Buffy - Ch. 1 - 4 by BlueZeroZeroOne (Buffy, Dawn, Stargate xover, M)

Things Change - Ch. 1 - 9 by Bacner (Faith, multiple crossovers, G) COMPLETE!

cat-to-cat communication - Ch. 3 by The_Eclectic_Bookworm (Jenny/Giles, T) COMPLETE!

What the hell is a Bothy? - Ch. 8 by Alwaysandforevermylove (Buffy/Faith, Killing Eve xover, E) COMPLETE!

Who Shat on the Floor at My Sister's Wedding? - Ch. 15 by thoughtsofahouseplant (Buffy/Spike, T) COMPLETE!

The Slayer and her Watcher - Ch. 2 by margoteve (Giles, Buffy, T) COMPLETE!

Initiation - Ch. 24 by Jaspergirl (old_fashioned_gal) (Tara/Willow, Giles/Ethan, T) COMPLETE!

The Rocky Road to Dublin - Ch.1 by fortes775 (Buffy/Spike, R)

I Violently Dislike You - Ch. 10 by scratchmeout (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Spiderwebs - Ch. 10 by Willow25 (Buffy/Spike, R)

Bring Him Home - Ch. 11 by acb6293 (Buffy/Spike, R)

Better the Devil You Know - Ch. 15 by SlayrGrl (Buffy/Spike, R)

where the shadow ends - Ch. 10 by disco-tea (Buffy/Spike, R)

Kaddara Hade - Ch. 18 by hostile17 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Love Drabbles - Ch. 16 by Hermionetobe (Buffy, Stargate xover, FR15)

The Key To Being Buffy - Ch. 4 by BlueZeroZeroOne (Buffy, Dawn, Stargate xover, FR18)

Cross Purposes 3 - Ch. 129 - The Scoobies and a Schoolgirl by DianeCastle (Buffy, multiple crossovers, FR13)

I Violently Dislike You - Ch. 10 by scratchmeout (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Gifset: [Willow and Anya search on the computer] by starryeyesxx (Anya, Willow, worksafe)

Moodboard: coffy (cordelia x buffy) by nbshrubberry (kissing, prob worksafe)

Comic: The washing machine incident - Ch. 2 by JSBirsa (very NSFW)

[Reviews & Recaps]

PODCAST: Episode 92: Out of My Mind by Myth Taken: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast

[Recs & In Search Of]

ISO: Howls_Honey seeks missing pages for BTVS Omnibus Vol 2

[Fandom Discussions]

POLL: choose one of buffy summers' greatest hits burning... by comradesummers

I need more "Wilfred" in my life [Willow x Fred Part 1] by Almighty_Push91

They had so much potential despite the brief moments they had together [Willow x Fred Part 2] by AndrewHeard

Lilah Morgan Appreciation Post by Captainoats88

Tara Appreciation Post- S5 E12- Checkpoint ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ by Nollaf5E5

just finished season 5 [ATS] by ruckmanrules

POLL: Crack Ships Part Two [ATS] by Captainoats88

POLL: Crack Ships Part Two [BTVS] by Captainoats88

POLL: Was Buffy just as patient or lenient with Anya as she was with Angel? by Opening_Knowledge868

Okay these are now officially my favourite Buffy thing that I own. [BTVS Tarot Card Deck] by iamjimothy

Andrew's behavior post-siring in S1E05 by Tuxedo_Mark

“Go Fish” is the most filler of all filler episodes by goldenhoneyheart

If Spike had a soul in S6, would he have let Buffy use him like she did... by Ravenclaw54321

How Do We Know That Spike Can "Love"? by Ok_Creme_3640

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

[fantomcomics]

What’s Out This Week? 3/29

Spring has sprung, our spirits (and the pollen count) are high, and our 25% Figurine Sale is still going strong til 4/1! 

A History Of Modern Manga HC - Insight Editions

The history of manga is inextricably linked to the social, economic, political, and cultural evolution of Japan. Essential to the daily lives of its inhabitants and to its economy, manga is one of the drivers of the international development of one of the world's largest economies. How did the manga market reach one billion copies annually in less than half a century? Who are the major players in this incredible expansion? Discover, over the pages and years, the major events and artists who have marked the history of modern manga in this new, updated and expanded edition.

The Ambassadors #1 (of 6) -  Mark Millar & Frank Quitely

Imagine you could gift superpowers to six people. In a world of eight billion, who do you choose? Join six of the greatest artists in the industry for an enormous story about ordinary people from around the world explaining why it should be them.

Big Guy & Rusty The Boy Robot TP -  Frank Miller & Geof Darrow 

Front and center, America! Here comes action! Here comes adventure! Here comes The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot-a roller-coaster ride through the minds of Geof Darrow and Frank Miller, the tag team that set you reeling with their hard-hitting series, Hard Boiled! Everything you remember about being thirty-eight-years-old and watching monster movies is right here, but with all the magnified detail that you always wanted to see.

Don’t Spit In The Wind #1 (of 4) -  Stefano Cardoselli

One man's trash is another man's living. Since earth became inhospitable, humanity escaped ages ago to live in a space station floating above the atmosphere. Now Travis and his crew of garbage men are tasked with cleaning up mountains of toxic waste, working for a company called Atomic Bros INC., to create a "Clear World." But when one of Travis' crew members goes missing near an old nuclear facility Travis' job becomes a bit more complicated.

E-ratic 2 TP - Kaare Andrews & Brian Reber

Recharge complete! The teenage hero with superpowers that only work for ten minutes a day is back to save the world again as he navigates even more pressing perils: young love, bullies, a broken family and the gauntlet that is high school. This time, young Oliver Leif is teamed with a barbarian princess who claims to be from another dimension. Spinning from the pages of The Resistance, E-Ratic combines electric action, teen drama, and pure comics fun.

Everything Sucks: Real Gamer Hours One-Shot -  Michael Sweater

Do video games cause violence? No, but they do cause Noah to smell absolutely horrible from playing an MMO for three days straight. Can Calla break the spell, or will she get trapped by the sweaty paws of King Crushskull too? Includes a foil cardstock cover and a sticker sheet!

Fart School HC -  Mel Stringer

Mel is excited about moving to Brisbane and starting art school! She imagines collaborating with other creatives, honing her craft, and becoming an accomplished artist. But it turns out that art school isn't quite the same in real life. Can Mel finish college with her love of art still intact?

Festival Of Shadows: A Japanese Ghost Story GN -  Atelier Sento

Every summer, in an isolated Japanese village, a celebration known as the Festival of Shadows takes place. The villagers are entrusted to assist the troubled souls or "shadows" of those who died tragically, and to help them come to terms with their deaths and find eternal peace. Naoko, a young girl born in the village, is given a year to save the soul of a mysterious young man. She develops strong feelings for her shadow-a handsome young man, an artist-but he seems haunted by a terrible secret. She has a year to find out what happened to him, to help him come to terms with his past, and if she fails, his soul will be lost forever. As the year goes by, Naoko finds herself teetering between the worlds of the living and the dead. What is the terrible secret that seems to be haunting her shadow? And could she be risking her own life to help someone who has already lost his?  

Superstate TP -  Graham Coxon, Hellen Mullane & Alex Paknadel 

The Superstate is everywhere, and its authority is absolute. Yoga Town is a city divided. While they wait to leave the earth, the 1% can bend reality to their will, they live in a consequence free world where anything goes. Meanwhile, the masses are pacified by a drugged out, government mandated digital dreamscape while they wait to perish on this dying planet. But there is still hope, for angels roam the earth. With their help, maybe some rebellious spirits can start to make a change. Experience 15 surreal and disturbing tales of rebellious fembots, celebrity turkey shoots, violent astral projection and an all-new take on the TV dinner.

Granite State Punk #1 - Travis Gibb & Patrick Buermeyer

Zeke has just gotten released from prison and is now living in the last place he ever wanted to be... his dead parents' house. For years, he tried to drown every ounce of the memories of this place and his messed-up childhood. Zeke is now forced to confront it and the revelation that his past is filled with the occult, punk rock, dark magic, and its connection to New Hampshire's most historic landmark, The Old Man of the Mountain.

I Hear A Sunspot: Four Seasons GN -  Yuki Fumino

Kohei Sugihara, college student with hearing loss, and Taichi Sagawa, his ever-optimistic former classmate, met in a chance encounter that ignited an undeniable spark that would eventually blossom into love. Now it's spring and as Kohei nears graduation, his search for a job begins. Meanwhile, Taichi finds himself in charge of someone new at work. Life is busier than ever, but all in all, things seem to be looking up for the pair. That is, until the sudden appearance of Ena, one of Kohei's old flames.

Indigo Children #1 -  Curt Pires, Rockwell White & Alex Diotto RADIANT BLACK meets THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH in this action-packed sci-fi/mystery epic as journalist Donovan Price hunts down the extraordinarily gifted INDIGO CHILDREN after their mysterious disappearance fifteen years prior.

A Journal Of My Father GN -  Jiro Taniguchi

Yoichi Yamashita, spurred by a call informing him of his father's death, thinks of childhood. He returns to his hometown after a lengthy absence during which time he has not seen his father. As the relatives gather for the funeral and the stories start to flow, Yoichi's childhood starts to resurface. The Spring afternoons playing on the floor of his father's barber shop, the fire that ravaged the city and his family home, his parents' divorce and a new "mother." Through confidences and memories shared with those who knew him best, Yoichi rediscovers the man he had long considered an absent and rather cold father.

The Karman Line TP -  Dennis Hopeless & Piotr Kowalski

It's all sex, lies and betrayal on a reality show streaming from the International Space Station until the crew receives a message reading "ABORT MISSION AND GET HOME NOW." Things unravel quickly as they find their shuttle damaged and a crew member dead. They'll have to fight to survive and escape... with cameras recording everything.

Kaya Book 1 TP -  Wes Craig

After the destruction of their village, a young girl with a magic arm and a fighting spirit is tasked with delivering her little brother to a faraway safe haven. There, he's destined to discover the secret to overthrowing the all-powerful empire that destroyed their home. Starting out on their journey, they'll face lizard-riders, monstrous beasts, and secrets that could tear brother and sister apart.

Lady Baltimore: Dreams Of Ikelos One-Shot -  Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, Bridgit Connell & Abigail Larson

Lady Sofia Baltimore, accompanied by an array of formidable companions, continues her war against the Nazis in an occult alternate Outerverse. High in the frozen Italian alps, a mercenary sorcerer has revealed a dangerous magical artifact. German forces will use it to obliterate Allied forces who stand against them . . . unless Sofia and Imogen can take possession of it first.    

Heartstrings: Melissa Ethridge & Her Guitars GN - Steve Hochman, Frank Mariffinno, Manuela Pertega & Kate Samuels

Melissa Etheridge's Heartstrings takes you on a journey through her growth and life as a musician, as it reveals the untold stories behind some of her favorite guitars, each one of them exciting, significant, and dear to her heart and music.

Mister Mammoth HC -  Matt Kindt & Denis Pendanx

Mr. Mammoth is the world's greatest detective and the kind of person you don't forget. Being a seven-foot-tall pacifist who's covered head to toe with an impressive collection of horrific scars makes quite the impression. But he might be losing his edge. He can't seem to solve his latest case and he's distracted with a strange obsession with a soap opera actress who doesn't even know he exists. His new case holds clues that might finally unlock the secret of his traumatic childhood. The question is: is he solving a crime-or planning one? Mr. Mammoth is the first-ever original graphic novel from Matt Kindt's all-new imprint, Flux House, which features crime, science fiction, and humor stories, all told in startling and untraditional ways. For Mr. Mammoth, Kindt is joined by internationally acclaimed artist Jean Denis Pendanx, who's making his U.S. debut!

Monster Tag Team #1 -  Konstantine Paradias, Gerardo Gambone & Neil Vokes

It's a brand-new series in the vein of classic team-ups and two-in-one comics - this is MONSTER TAG TEAM!  Two monsters - one rampaging story - all horror!  In this debut issue called "Wolfe And Bat" - mortal enemies and clashing world powers collide in an over-the-top monster battle royale!  In a Cold War that's gone occult, the international terror organization WARLOCK schemes to destroy human civilization. Faced with this new breed of unstoppable sorcerous criminal, West and Soviet agencies put their two best creatures on the case: Jesse Walker, a CIA-trained werewolf and Vlad Dracul, KGB's top vampire, team up to destroy WARLOCK's chief Magister before he can unleash Fimbulwinter on humanity. This issue comes with four covers - Main by Copper Age legend Neil Vokes, Corpse Crew homage cover by Buz Hasson & Ken Haeser, Painted cover by Mark Sparacio, and a special 100 copy Century limited edition!

Songs Of The Dead: Afterlife TP -  Michael Christopher Heron, Andrea Fort, MJ Erickson & Nick Robles

Bethany is a necromancer and a hero. Along with her companions, Elissar and Jonas, she has finally found the rumored Covenant. Her perilous journey has brought her to the last bastion of the necromancers, but resurging prejudices have them in shambles. Can Bethany unite them in the face of escalating tensions? Or will the coming war shatter all of her dreams for a peaceful future?

Vince Staples Presents Limbo Beach GN -  Bryan Edward Hill, Chris Robinson & Buster Moody

“Every kid has the same story. Wash up on shore. Enter the amusement park. Get superpowers. Why are you so different?" Join fan-favorite rapper Vince Staples, Bryan Edward Hill (Batman & the Outsiders; Titans), Chris Robinson (Children of the Atom), and Buster Moody (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) on an adventure into the mysterious Limbo Beach, an island theme park ruled by adolescents with unique abilities! Follow the newest member of the Wunderlosts, a band of misfit teenage raiders, on a journey to discover the truth about the park - and himself - in a tale that is equal parts Lord of the Flies and The Warriors.

Welcome Back, Aureole GN -  Takatsu

Bright and sociable Kazu and the sober and serious Moto have been best friends since childhood. Even if they drifted apart in junior high, they still understood one another better than anyone else. But in their second year, Kazu began to think of Moto as more than just a friend. And as much as he wanted to think it was just a misunderstanding, it became clear to him that his feelings were all too real...

WesterNoir GN -  Dave West, Gary Crutchley & Matt Soffe 

Josiah Black thought that he'd done it all - cowhand, gun slinger, drifter and sheriff - but then he kills Jim Wilson and takes on the role of monster hunter. Monsters that only he can see. They Live meets Deadwood in this tale from the old wild west.

Whatcha snagging this week, Fantom Fam?

[nsfwflint]

Make your 2023-2024 NFL team! 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 Kicker and a team as an overall defense!

Build my own fantasy team huh.

QB- As upset as I am with the SB situation, gotta go Mahomes still. Man is a freak of nature athlete and a living highlight reel.

RB1- Gonna go CMC. Health is always the biggest factor for him, and I think he's gonna be a lot healthier on the Niners.

RB2- If he can repeat this season's performance, gotta go Josh Jacobs. Hopefully the new coaching in LV will give him the damn ball more, because every time he touched the ball last year he delivered. But for whatever reason, they still barely gave him the ball some games. Was infuriating.

WR1- Justin Jefferson. Man had an absolutely MONSTER season and he's only going to improve.

WR2- Despite the late/post season collapse by the Bills, I'm still going Stefon Diggs. When he was healthy and thrown to, man was unstoppable. If they can just sort out whatever mental speed bumps Allen hit late in the season, I think Bills still have a real good shot at the SB.

TE- Gotta go Travis Kelce. Mark Andrews is really the only other TE I would consider going, but he had a down year this year and the chemistry between Kelce and Mahomes will only increase. Man is another absolute freak.

Flex- Jamar Chase. Yet another monster at his position, and Joe Cool is improving every single year. If they can stabilize the o-line and give Burrows a little more time to throw, I really think Chase could put up Justin Jefferson level numbers this season.

Defense- Gonna be a little weird for this one, but I'm gonna go Jets. They were a top tier defense that got no help from their offense last year. If NY can land a top tier QB in free agency to lead the offense, Jets could be a real contender team. I almost said Niners, but losing their defensive coordinator to Houston could easily throw a wrench into that well oiled machine, even with DPOY Bosa leading the team.

Kicker- Justin Tucker. Is there literally anyone else to pick? Man is the greatest kicker in NFL history, he's fucking automatic.

[waugh-bao]

for the ask meme, top 5 photos of keith and charlie! 🥹

also! while you’re at it, top 5 keith songs (can be both the stones or his solo works)

This isn’t intentional, but every photo I ended up picking of them is from the last 30 or so years of the band.

In no particular order:

Also a bonus shout out to the best Keith and Charlie photo where Charlie technically isn’t in the picture:

For the top 5 Keith songs, also in no particular order:

Hate It When You Leave (Main Offender, 1992)

Most of Keith’s solo songs are either about getting screwed over by a woman (and deserving it) or missing somebody in a long term relationship. This is one of my favorite songs of that second genre, I admit partly because it reminds me of a very particular part of my life, but also just the lyrics, the beat, and his voice play beautifully together. It’s an aberration for me in that most of the Winos songs I enjoy are the ones where Charley Drayton is on drums, because he has a lighter touch that suits Keith better.

Alteration Boogie (Unreleased Voodoo Lounge Outtake, 1993)

Voodoo Lounge is a great album that also has a lot of outtakes from the studio sessions floating around online (there were 75 demos from the whole process which was an unusually large amount for them), but this is probably my favorite Keith solo piece. It’s a song about and sung to Charlie (who joins in on drums halfway through) and it’s the most unhinged thing you’ve ever heard. Keith composed an entire 5 minute song about Charlie’s personal, how his trousers hang, and his ass, among other topics, seemingly on the fly. It’s a really interesting insight into whatever is going on in his head.

How Can I Stop (Bridges to Babylon, 1998)

I think most of Keith’s best ‘solo’ music really comes from him doing his own thing as a vocalist within the Stones. Especially because he has a tendency to strip things down and do almost everything with just himself and Charlie, plus occasionally one or two other people (Stu, Pierre, etc). It’s an emotionally devastating song (“You look at me, but I don’t know what you see/A reflection, baby, of what I want to be/I see your face and I want to roll with it…”) and the music itself more than matches the lyrics for quality. Wayne Shorter guested on the song and the last minute, which is just Charlie and Wayne going back and forth on sax and cymbals, with a little piano backing, genuinely gives me chills. It also shows how Keith’s generosity as a musician and his love of Charlie works in his favor, because that duet between them makes the song.

Love Hurts (Tribute to Graham Parsons, 2004)

It’s a cover, not a song Keith wrote himself, but I think it really suits his style/content as a solo artist and he makes it really work with his voice here. Norah Jones also works fabulously as co-vocalist, I think he actually tends to harmonize better with women (Sarah Dash, Norah, Sheryl Crow, Lisa Fischer, etc) live than with Mick.

Losin’ My Touch (Forty Licks, 2002)

I’m a sucker for all of Keith’s ‘sad old man at the end of a long term relationship’ songs, like “This Place Is Empty”, but this song (which was one of two originals added to a 40th anniversary greatest hits album) is really lovely. It’s a very classic Keith only on vocals/no back-up, drums, piano, and a bit of guitar, and I think that’s often how he sounds best.

I wouldn’t put it in my top 5 solely because of how horribly the production of the song was mangled by Andrew Watt, but Keith’s one solo song off of Hackney Diamonds, “Tell Me Straight” has absolutely gorgeous, devastating lyrics. It’s almost certainly his Charlie song, and both more beautiful and sadder when you consider the writing in that light.

[morningrainmusic]

Peak Indie Rock: 2005

I’m Wide Wake, It’s Morning by Bright Eyes January 25, 2005 / Saddle Creek If you’ve never listened to Bright Eyes, this is probably the best place to start. Pardon the cliche, but it basically serves as a greatest hits album of Conor Oberst’s output. In 2003 Oberst had moved from Nebraska to New York City and found himself stepping into a larger world of culture and political demonstration that inspired these songs of romance, pain, confusion, anger, and doubt. He even widened his circle of outside-the-main-band collaborators to include backing vocals from Emmylou Harris. I’m not a huge Bright Eyes fan, but I love this record and consider it the finest emo folk album ever made. Here’s hoping Oberst is doing alright and able to finish shows in 2024. Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs by Andrew Bird February 8, 2005 / Righteous Babe You may be thinking to yourself, “Bright Eyes, Andrew Bird…are we really calling these indie rock albums?” A good question, because these records (and a few more to be covered) probably veer closer to the overarching “indie” categorization we know today than “indie rock” or “rock” of any variety. Andrew Bird is a violinist by trade and his third solo album is his first to include him playing guitar. His perspective on the world, as conveyed through these songs, is alien and fantastical and apocalyptic. It’s a mysterious album, appropriately, difficult to pin down lyrically. Musically, to answer the original question, this record is indie rock albeit by way of chamber pop. If you’re not convinced, drill a tiny hole into your head and put on album standout “Fake Palindromes.” Countless rocks songs have been written about the loss of innocence but none quite like this.

Gimme Fiction by Spoon May 10, 2005 / Merge

I got a feeling it don't come cheap I got a feeling oh and then it got to me It took its time a-working into my soul I got to believe it come from rock and roll

These lyrics, from Gimme Fiction’s opening track “The Beast and Dragon Adored,” could serve as Spoon’s abbreviated mission statement. In fact I’d go even further and argue that no other four line grouping from the past 25 years better encapsulates the spirit and power of great rock music. The song is the perfect tone-setter for Gimme Fiction, an introduction to the proceedings to come with lyrical references to “I Summon You,” “The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine,” and “They Never Got You.” It’s an audacious way to start an album, and the ten tracks that follow live up to its promise. Spoon has always been discreetly exceptional, to the point where writing about it now is something of a cliche. What they have been increasingly known for, is their consistency. From 2001’s Girls Can Tell on, they have not put out a bad album. Ask ten Spoon fans what their favorite Spoon record is, and it’s likely you will get six to eight different answers. The mainstream critical consensus seems to be that Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (2007) is their strongest work, but Gimme Fiction remains my personal favorite. It’s got their best love song in "I Summon You,” some of their coolest grooves (“My Mathematical Mind" comes to mind), and the Prince-inspired all-timer "I Turn My Camera On” which Daniel wrote after hearing “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand (see 2004). There are no gimmicks here. No mythic backstory to the album’s creation. Spoon never captured the indie zeitgeist like Arcade Fire or The Strokes. Gimme Fiction is simply an album full of direct, irresistible indie rock songs. Nearly 20 years later, it seems to be gradually receiving the recognition it deserves as a modern day classic.

The Woods by Sleater-Kinney May 24, 2005 / Sub Pop It’s loud, it’s raw, it’s arena-ready. The then-final album from Olympia, Washignton’s Sleater-Kinney rips harder than anything else that came out in 2005. And it’s relentless in its attack. “Modern Girl” breaks things up at the midpoint, the record’s only true pop song and one important enough for Carrie Brownstein to title her memoir after. Sleater-Kinney convey more ideas about American consumerism and societal expectations of women into this three minute song than most bands do across entire albums. It’s a welcome breath of sardonic prettiness wedged between tracks about people who commit suicide from the Golden Gate Bridge (“Jumpers”) and derivative, empty retro-rock (“Entertain”). Somewhat ironically, The Woods is the closest Sleater-Kinney ever got to a classic rock sound, thanks in part to producer Dave Fridmann (more on him in 2007). Led Zeppelin II would compliment The Woods nicely, which is a weird thing to say about a record by the most essential riot grrrl band ever. But Kinney cofounders Brownstein and Corin Tucker bring their unique flavor of distortion-heavy noise rock to the mix, sounding as aggressive and in-your-face as ever. Like it, love it, hate it, but you certainly can’t ignore it. This is a crucial part of Sleater-Kinney’s ethos and the movement they were born out of; the idea that rock music should be entertaining, sure, but if that’s all it is, if artists aren’t confrontational, aren’t actively pushing back against something, aren’t doing anything risky, then what’s the point? Illinois by Sufjan Stevens July 4, 2005 / Asthmatic Kitty

There are states with strong state identities. Texas. California. Wisconsin. Florida? Probably Florida. Illinois is not one of them. I’ve lived most of my life in or around Chicago, and have a strong emotional connection to this area. Illinois though? It’s fine. I don’t want to sound like some kind of big city snob, I just don’t have an abundance of allegiance to or fondness for the rest of my home state, and I think this is pretty common among Chicagoans. And then there’s this Sufjan Steves album, a 74-minute tribute to the 21st state in the union, with songs about Decatur, Jacksonville, Metropolis, a UFO sighting near Highland, Mary Todd Lincoln, John Wayne Gacy, and various ghost towns (to name a few). There are also, of course, some songs about Chicago; the one bearing its name is the centerpiece of Illinois and one of the best ever written about the Windy City. A sprawling orchestral tapestry that runs the gamut from indie pop to show tunes to classical, Illinois finds Stevens reflecting on such topics as Christianity, the Civil War, Superman, and Casimir Pulaski. His intent was to “give an overarching survey of the history of civilization in that particular region, from the Cahokia Mounds to Native Americans to European immigration to the Industrial Revolution.” All that is to say, it’s a wildly ambitious and sprawling project. But it’s important to point out just how weird it is too. Illinois is a deeply thoughtful, sensitive record. But it also contains song titles like "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" Stevens, a Detroit native, researched Illinois state history, read works by Carl Sandburg and Saul Bellow, and studied immigrant records in preparation of recording. When touring the album, Stevens and his band wore University of Illinois cheerleader outfits. This odd, obsessive, mad scientist-like quality is worth harping on because it’s part of what makes Illinois not just strangely exceptional but exceptionally strange. That it was the best-reviewed album of 2005 and is still largely considered Stevens’ masterpiece is the kind of heartening reminder that artists can take bold chances, make weird records brimming with passion, and that not always, but sometimes it will pay off. It's even headed to Broadway this year. Abraham Lincoln and the prairie style of Frank Lloyd Wright may rank higher, but I count Sufjan Stevens’ fifth album among the reasons I’m gradually beginning to call myself a proud Illinoisan. Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers August 23, 2005 / Matador

Canadian “supergroup” delivers bright (but not too bright) power pop that is basically impossible to dislike. Go listen to “The Bleeding Hearts Show” and just let the slow build wash over you. Yeah, it’s a bit cheesy, but again, it’s not too cheesy. It’s fun, it’s light, it makes you feel good. Apologies to the Queen Mary by Wolf Parade September 27, 2005 / Sub Pop More Canadians! Apologies to the Queen Mary is one of the most acclaimed and influential indie rock albums of the 2000s but I’ve never heard anyone I know talk about it. I myself loved “I’ll Believe in Anything” in the late aughts, and much later “Shine a Light,” but it wasn’t until I began this five year deep dive that I actually listened to the whole album. Upon doing so, I can see why this record received the hype that it did and remains near and dear to so many millennials and young Gen Xers today. The first thing to address is the way chief songwriters Spencer Krug and Dan Boekner sing, in an enthusiastic raspy yelp that’s not worlds away from Modest Mouse (Isaac Brock produced) or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, another band that debuted in 2005 to rave reviews and astronomical buzz…decent album but, in my opinion, wildly overrated. Their high register squawk-like deliveries may be the main reason Apologies didn’t blow up in the same way an album like Funeral by fellow Montreal rockers Arcade Fire did. It fits the record. The energy rarely lets up on this thing; it’s twelve tracks of scrappy, blustery intensity, much of it fixated on ghosts, family, and loss. Krug and Hadji Baker’s keyboards really shine too. Wolf Parade couldn’t rightly be classified as a “synth rock” band but man, the synth parts here are terrific.

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Andrew Lampe

Andrew Lampe is the sole member of Invultation, the black/death (or “war metal”) project out of Columbus, OH. Andrew is mostly known for his solo work throughout the past 15 years, including projects that span the various sub-genres of extreme metal such as: The Wakedead Gathering, Debauch, Irradiated, LONGBARROW and Echushkya. The newest Invultation album, Feral Legion, was released by Sentient Ruin Laboratories on August 18th, 2023. Dusted reviewed it, here, noting that the record “launches precipitously into black/death’s hammering, crunching, high-velocity intensities,” with music that is “feral, sharply clawed and full of rage.”

Here's a list of things that have inspired and influenced Lampe.

Bolt Thrower — “At First Light”

To start off this list, why not go with (in my opinion) the greatest opening track of all time. Every time I listen to this track it makes me want to run headfirst into battle. Bolt Thrower released nothing but classic albums and their dedication to excellence has always been a quality that I try to emulate.

King Diamond/Mercyful Fate

Both of these bands are in my top 5 of heavy metal bands but I have to give a slight edge to King’s solo work since Andy LaRocque is one of my favorite guitarists. The idea of each album having a story and theme has also been immensely influential to my own music, especially for The Wakedead Gathering.

Archgoat — “Grand Luciferian Theophany”

If you listen to any Invultation material beyond the demo you can hear the Archgoat influence almost immediately. This track, in particular, is the inspiration for the slower riffs that I use fairly frequently in “breakdown” parts. There’s just something about the groove that Archgoat is able to achieve in their slower riffs that is so catchy and dark sounding.

Incantation — “Upon The Throne of Apocalypse”

One of the first death metal bands that I ever got into; this album is perfection of the OSDM sound. The rough mix enhances the atmosphere of these tracks. I throw on this record pretty regularly for inspiration and just to headbang like a lunatic.

Gravesend — Methods Of Human Disposal

These guys kind of came out of nowhere a few years ago and after hearing their demo I was immediately hooked. I don’t know of any other band right now that crushes as hard as Gravesend. Getting to see them live was one of the highlights of my year in 2022.

Dark Angel — “Time Does Not Heal”

I know that this album isn’t usually the favorite for fans of Dark Angel, but I absolutely love it. Famous for containing 246 riffs, but not a single one of them sounds like filler or seems unnecessary. Also, lyrically, they really put a lot of thought and emotion into each track. When I can’t think of an album to put on and I want something fast I always end up going back to this one.

Vader — “De Profundis”

Another of my first tastes of death metal was Vader. This album comes raging right out of the gate with, “Silent Empire.” The part that starts at 2:40 goes so fucking hard. It’s impossible not to thrash around like a maniac when it hits.

Kohti Tuhoa

I also have a background in punk music and I love hardcore and d-beat, especially from the Scandinavian scenes. Kohti Tuhoa keep churning out catchy, aggressive albums that I can’t get enough of. Helena’s vocals sound so pissed off, but she also has such a great range. I highly recommend anything they’ve done.

Savage Necromancy — “Feathers Fall to Flames”

Another modern black/death band that appears heavily influenced by Archgoat. The opening track to this album sets the tone for the rest of what’s to come (sensing a trend here?). An insanely strong vocal performance and crushing production. One of my favorite albums to come out in the last few years.

Occultation — “Silence In The Ancestral House”

Fall has officially begun, and I can’t think of another album that so perfectly captures the feeling of the season. It’s a shame this band broke up after only two albums, but at least we were left with this amazing album. The track I highlighted here, “All Hallow’s Fire,” is the ultimate Halloween song to me.

[violetsystems]

My favorite part of twenty twenty two is when my country claimed mission accomplished in Afghanistan by handing it over to the Taliban who crashed a plane into the World Trade Center and ultimately used that to deprive women of their rights to an education. Some of the best robotics makers in the world by the way ; those women. Because it was too busy starting wars to profit from elsewhere. Maybe you should fix the job market by going back and fixing what you fucked up over there with the world’s greatest for profit militia? Or are they too busy waging civil war back home on their own people? Kind of like when they took advantage of a mentally ill nazi apologist named Kanye west who had to sell his lluxury car collection to stay alive. Or was it when America sold out a women’s right to choose because it had an excuse to. That’s been an ongoing process. Must have been Taliban foreshadowing. What about when we keep funneling how many ever billion to sell weapons to countries we’ve convinced to be puppets of our worldwide superhero agenda instead of protecting our own people that it uses as an insurance policy to cash out on. What if we put an oil price cap on weapons of war? America would be broke by now. Or when that guy bought an entire social media platform and harvested the tax loss from another company he barely runs. And Janet Yellen thought that was ok. I’m going out on a limb that even if my own situation is bad enough to call in a professional lawyer that it won’t do anything in this environment except waste my money. The sushi restaurant did put a second sign outside to reiterate they are hiring after I applied. Still no word back. Maybe they’re waiting until the eighteen dollar minimum wage hits Illinois next year. I’m ok for the time being. If you call living invisible in a world I could change if you acknowledged that I have a right to breathe. Instead of turning my every waking moment into a reality show for other people to make themselves feel better about life challenges at the expense of wiping away mine. But I’m not holding my breath. I’m also not going anywhere for New Year’s Eve. Because what exactly is there to put behind me? When all the problems I tried really fucking hard to fix keep laughing at me in my face with the help of the federal government? Sounding a lot like Afghanistan, bro. I’ll keep waiting to be impressed that’s for sure. I don’t really have options. Or any human dignity or visibility at this point. People more concerned watching Greta Thunberg and Andrew Tate make dick jokes than face reality I guess. The reality that Andrew Tate doesn’t need to sell his luxury car collection? Where’s my influencer paycheck? I’m good on cash for the moment. Nobody tips on tumblr anyway. Thank god that’s not why I’m still here. Definitely not in New York drinking coffee at the site of the towers collapsing. You remember when I used to fly there every few months? I was there ground zero in February on my birthday alone when COVID dropped. Back when I could afford blue bottle coffee and my identity being hijacked. This situation right now for me is nothing better than house arrest. But at least I can see it when and where it’s coming from. One month at a time. Living for tomorrow is so last year. So is billionaire tax loss harvesting. Gonna need another plane for that kind of write off is all I’m saying. Don’t call Boeing. They’ll call you. 🤷‍♀️

[musiconanironingboard]

6 August 2022: Sixteen Great Performances, Steppenwolf. (1980 MCA reissue of 1975 ABC reissue of 1973 ABC/Dunhill album 16 Greatest Hits)

Dear mercy. Not only am I taking public transportation across town to buy post-Dunhill Steppenwolf albums (see my two previous posts), I go and buy a hits comp. And not just any hits comp, mind you, a reissue of a reissue of a hits comp! Look, when something even this corny is in the bin for $3.99 and it’s in near-mint condition and you’re already buying two other things, if you’re me you just throw it on in. I also envisioned an interesting coda to my year of Steppenwolf in which I could spend December playing this hits album and experiencing songs I’d heard earlier in the year in a brand-new sequence.

In 1973, following the band’s original breakup, their U.S. label Dunhill (owned by ABC) issued a comp called 16 Greatest Hits. There are people whose sole Steppenwolf album is 16 Greatest Hits; one of my friends appears to be such a person. Somewhere along the line, ABC, Dunhill by this time having died off, trotted out a new series of lookalike hits albums called, you guessed it, Sixteen Great Performances. There is a whole slate of artists in this series, and all of the albums have the same cover-art template. For those of you familiar with the 21st century Gold series of CDs or Sony’s The Essential series, this is a long-ago example of the same notion. In this ABC series you have a wild range of people: Pat Boone, The Andrews Sisters, Ike & Tina Turner, and someone called Six Fat Dutchmen. They all have that same mint-green representation of a vinyl record with something in the middle purported to represent the band. For Steppenwolf you get a horrible piece of taxidermy. I guess it was sheer luck that an existing Steppenwolf comp had 16 songs and could easily be slotted into this series. I don’t know what the liner notes are like for the other bands’ albums in the series, nor do I know if these notes appeared on the original 1973 16 Greatest Hits Steppenwolf album, but they border on outlandish. One of my favorite passages involves how keyboardist Goldie McJohn plays his instrument “kangaroo style.”

Above you see the front and back covers. It looks better in real life. In the back-cover photo the left edge looks to be yellowing; in person, this thing is absolutely pristine.

Below is the record in its custom MCA sleeve. ABC ceased to exist in the mid-’70s and was absorbed into MCA. There are a lot of artists out there who were never signed to the MCA label, but whose catalogs wound up there for this reason.

 Here’s a close-up of side one’s label.

Last, let me give you a bit of this album’s evolution. None of the images below are mine; I took them all from Discogs.

First up, here is what the original version of this Steppenwolf comp looks like. That’s a pretty terrible cover photo, so I can see why the label wanted to change it. (This is a promo copy; retail versions look the same, but without the “Not For Sale” sticker.)

When the album got absorbed into the Sixteen Great Performances series, it had the same cover as the copy I bought, but the ABC label hadn’t yet died, so here is what its label first looked like (Discogs contributors are horrible photographers, so forgive this shambles):

Last, here are a couple of other entries in this series, showing other bands’ covers with the same design template.

With Six Fat Dutchmen, you get a ridiculously blurry photo of beer steins (and I have no idea why this shows up smaller than other photos here):

Ike & Tina get a blurry photo of high-heeled shoes in front of a guitar—did the photographer for this series not have the capability to focus?!:

Here’s one final example, showing that a lack of focus was apparently the motif for this series (though Steppenwolf’s taxidermy largely seems to have escaped the out-of-focus fate!):

It’s surprising to me that when ABC got absorbed into MCA that the new parent company kept this wacky series going. The covers had to be reprinted with the MCA logo; it was a golden opportunity to redesign the things and get some photos that were actually in focus, but someone must have decided that no further money should be spent on it.

[chavezerickson9]

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[denimbex1986]

Writer-director Andrew Haigh returns to the silver screen with All of Us Strangers, a loose adaptation of Taichi Yamada's Strangers. When the lonely Adam meets a mysterious stranger, Harry, who lives in the same empty block of flats, he finds himself propelled towards a romance he never saw possible for himself. This chance encounter comes as Adam finds himself revisiting his family, who died when he was a young boy. Andrew Scott leads with the supporting cast rounded out by Paul Mescal, Claire Foy and Jamie Bell.

Every now and then, a film touches your soul on such a profound level that you want to scream about its brilliance from the rooftops. A beautiful, soul-stirring and haunting examination of queer loneliness, grief, longing and memory, All of Us Strangers is a profoundly moving and evocative picture that thrives in its focus on a homosexual experience. A film of two beautifully complementary halves, Strangers is a remarkably delicate, strangely straightforward yet slightly surreal contemplation of holding on, letting go and healing the inner child.

With direction both elegant and startling - shockingly tender in its most intimate moments of connection and lust, yet hard-hitting and emotionally gutting as it enters its most devastating territory - Andrew Haigh has crafted an achingly brilliant piece of cinema that could melt the iciest of hearts. Despite the ghostly presence and time-fracturing back-and-forth, a hauntingly authentic core to All of Us Strangers ensures it is continually grounded in the purest human emotion, leading to a cinematic experience that somehow feels like a voyage into our souls. Never tempted to seek out ostentatious filmmaking practices or overly grandiose techniques, Haigh remains wholly focused on the wider picture and the picture soars as a result.

While the original novel provides sturdy foundations on which he can build, Haigh delivers a screenplay of such emotional depth and focus to ruminate upon. Loneliness is a theme frequently found within queer cinema, explored here in such a fascinating way by contrasting views of the past with behaviours of the present in a way that feels revelatory and insightful; aching with the pain of a generation required to suppress to survive, exploring the indelible scars left by words and how our loved ones can be implicit in such lasting damage, Strangers remarkable way of tacking such conflicting, powerful emotions is put to great use, using its conceit of ghosts in a miraculously healing way. Along with its intelligent, beautifully reflective way of exploring grief, Strangers reflectively tight focus means its themes are explored with the profundity and clarity they deserve.

To describe Andrew Scott's performance in All Of Us Strangers as one of the greatest acting performances in recent memory would be an understatement. A life-changing and career-defining turn aching with a vulnerability that Scott portrays with an impossible magnetism, Scott's work is truly superlative. Here he plays a 40-something writer isolating his feelings as a result of grief and suppression, and a preteen boy hiding his true self and desperate to feel his parent’s arms around him one last time. It would take an extraordinarily tight performer to balance those roles with the subtlety and complexity needed to convince, and Scott utterly excels with a leading turn unparalleled in its emotional depth and fortitude.

Paul Mescal emotes like few others, an emotionally charged performance of a man fighting his own demons while trying to support someone else with theirs. As with his sensational Aftersun performance, Mescal conveys so much emotion with the slightest of mannerisms, his eyes signalling so much hurt and sensitivity yet containing an elusive quality we cannot help but be compelled towards. He's wonderful opposite Scott, their chemistry irresistible, with the pair delivering one of the most multi-faceted on-screen relationships in some time. Similarly, Jamie Bell takes on the role of Adam's father and earns some of the most heartwarming moments of the piece, characterised by the stiff upper lip that defined men of the era, but uncovering a soft heart that provides a refreshingly open-minded portrayal of a father who simply wants the best for his son.

Of the supporting cast, however, Claire Foy shines the brightest. Exquisite as Adam’s mother, Foy delivers a complicated performance brimming with the mindset of a period and riddled with a deep sadness that is performed to absolute perfection. While a knowingness of their fates could have become one-note and inevitable, the journey becomes so much more fulfilling because of the layers to Foy and Scott's relationship. In the single most gut-wrenching sequence of the film, as Foy sings to Scott a song that defined his childhood, it feels like the film stops still in its tracks: "Maybe I didn't hold you all those lonely, lonely times/And I guess I never told you, I'm so happy that you're mine". It is in that stillness, and many of the silences that follow, that Foy's performance comes to life, an outstanding, pivotal performance that demonstrates the importance of brilliant supporting turns.

All of Us Strangers begins as an open wound, one the rest of the film seeks to tend to and allow to heal; by the time we reach its close, as devastated as we are, with the pain lingering on, it feels like our souls have been changed by this rather transformative piece. Character-led and theme-heavy, Strangers may not be embraced as enthusiastically by those who prefer a stronger sense of plot to propel its narrative forward - but for those for resonate with the themes, particularly, as suspected given the features’ unwavering focus on a queer experience, an LGBTQ+ audience, will find it hard not to be caught up in the emotional current of Strangers. A rare cinematic experience, All of Us Strangers is a dreamscape that poignantly contemplates some of the hardest-hitting themes while boasting one of the finest British ensembles put to film in some time, led by Andrew Scott's searing work.'