#this one was from an LPS video called “10 Things to Say to Your Enemies!” which I just remembered lol)

[hms-incorrect-quotes]

Mind, moments before being shot at: 🎵I hate you, you hate me~🎵

Mind: Oh wait, nobody can hate me. I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking.

Heart: ...

[tearasshouse]

Mostly vidya ramblings - Part 3A cont. . .

Part 1 of Ze Finalists

The final 2 of 2020.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4 -- also on XB1, Steam, GOG, Linux, macOS)

I’d put this off for way longer than I should’ve, but end of 2020 seems apropos given that its *the other* cyberpunk themed game, and at least this one isn’t fundamentally broken. Say what you will about the long standing jank in the DX series, or that Square Enix hacked bits off the game for a convoluted and entirely shitty season pass upsell, or that the augmented apartheid metaphor upon which the game’s fiction hinges is stupid, or that MD lacks a 3rd act and will likely never get a sequel, etc. What you get here is a great game, in certain respects inferior to Human Revolution (one of my favorite titles in recent memory), and in others quite different and possibly the better entry.

Look, I’m just glad immersive sims are still a thing and though they’ve always kinda reviewed well but sold like shit, they’re still in somewhat decent health. I’m not fan of the DX series as a whole, but Human Revolution felt special when it came out in 2011, as a near perfect incorporation of old yet solid design principles but reinvigorated with a new sense of purpose and polish. It’s the rare soft reboot / much delayed new entry / prequel that does its originators justice while being a supremely confident game in and of itself.

What strikes you when you try to play the older DX games (recently tried but gave up half way through, using the Give Me Deus Ex mod), is how much Eidos Montreal’s efforts feel like the old games, but with most of the niggles ironed out, making for a far more approachable experience. In fact, they could’ve perhaps gone even further in sticking with the depth and complexity of the OGs, but then I’m not sure the game would be as fun. If say, Jensen’s ability to use weapons should were determined by his character stats, I think that would make the game insufferable, but the first game was definitely more of a CRPG than anything else. 

What I mean to say is that I found MD ridiculously easy, even on the 2nd hardest difficulty, because if you play stealthily (I maintain that this is the so called “intended” approach), then none of the enemies pose a challenge. If you’re thorough about hacking, collecting things, doing side quests, conserving supplies, then you end up being a walking NPC vendor yourself; Praxis and resources overflowing from your person. This is compounded I think by the level design which is superb, but again, far too eager to make this a mainstream AAA experience, so there’s one too many ways to progress and you’re never truly locked out (unless of course you go out of your way to screw your save file over). 

As Yahtzee so succinctly put it (much of this review is cribbing from his videos), you’re not so much roleplaying a character by making tough choices as was sort of the case with the original game, but merely picking what’s most expedient to progress beyond a challenge, and then if you so choose, going out of your way to hoover up the other loot and exp when and if it strikes your fancy. There was one Witcher 2-esque decision the game forces on you in the late game, along with a few others which are less consequential, and I appreciated that kind of explicit branching. But really, the game lets you have your cake and eat it in as many ways as you so choose, is what I’m saying, which removes the necessity for repeat playthroughs (this can be a good or bad thing depending on your free time and personality) and again, weakens the roleplaying roots of the series somewhat. 

Still, well worth a play. Absolutely so if you’re a fan of the prior DX games or other immersive sims / ARPG stealth hybrids like Dishonored, Prey 2017, the Elder Scrolls / Fallout games, etc.

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (PS4 -- also coming to Steam & Xbox)

I’m super glad the Yakuza series is blowing up, though I suspect largely in part due to the memes with maybe a huge proportion not having actually played the games themselves. It’s one of the rare games that both lends itself to great passive consumption material (all you kids with your Twitch or those who consume traditional YouTube LPs), and are also a blast to play yourself. 

I’ve been playing these in a sort of Western release order, that is: watching the 2BFP LP of Yakuza 0, then doing Kiwami 1 and 2 for myself, and now this (and I also watched their Y4 LP ages ago). You could pretty much go into any entry point and be fine, what with the self-contained stories and generous flashback movies, and from what I can gather fans weren’t exactly super impressed with Kiryuu’s send off here (even I could sense that something was off and it seems most agree Y5 is probably the most fitting end to his arc, with 6 being a kind of meandering epilogue not unlike Toy Story 4 I guess?). But, judged on its own merits and not as a culmination to the Dragon of Dojima’s tenure as RGG’s main protagonist, this is a very solid Yakuza title.

The substories are every bit as good as the best in the series. What was lost in fighting styles, equippable weapons, explorable environs, or mini games is made up for with what has actually remained. The celebrity cameos are well acted. The big plot turn is every bit as dumb and inconsequential as you’d come to expect. Kiryuu still hasn’t aged a day despite everyone calling him an ossan and really? Dude is in his late 40s. If this is truly representative of Japan’s ageist culture then that is just... not good.

Anyway, Onomichi is great! The baseball substory wasn’t bad! The purportedly downgraded Hostesses were actually quite lovable! The Haruto babysitting section is every bit as bad as they say, but thankfully its short. Live Chat was excellent (and you can totally see the liberal ideas/asset reuse in Kiwami 2 where the photo shoot is basically just a rebrand). Clan Creator is a complete waste of time and I’m glad Y7 seemingly dropped it for good. The Dragon Engine’s first incarnation here is rough, esp. on a base PS4, but it’s fine. This game is like what, $10 now at regular price? And likely going to Game Pass for free? Do eeeeet.

[stephaniemarlowftw]

WAR ON WOMEN RAISE ‘WONDERFUL HELL’ ON NEW LP

Listen to the album’s essential title track now. // Look for the album out digitally on 10/30/20 (physically on 11/13/20) from Bridge Nine.

"War On Women state the facts. They are self-righteous. They point fingers. Activism is prominently at the heart of their screeds against the systematic plagues of patriarchy, racism, and capitalism. The enemy is everywhere. War On Women prioritize taking it down." - Pitchfork

A lot has happened since War On Women burst out of Baltimore’s activist community in 2010 as an unapologetically intersectional feminist hardcore punk band. In their early days, some found their politics “extreme” but in the years since, feminism has undeniably gone mainstream. There’s also been backlash, from the growth of the alt-right out of misogynist message boards, to an actual rapist landing in the White House where he’s spent the past four years pouring gasoline on the flames of hatred and division, rather than striving toward unity. That’s all to say, that in the midst of this tumultuous period of American history, and especially with the crucial 2020 election looming on the horizon, War On Women’s unrelenting vision and ferociously vital messages are more necessary than ever before.  

Their new album Wonderful Hell (out digitally October 30th + physically on November 13th via Bridge Nine) is a call to action, even when every step forward feels like it’s met with a landslide back. The title track, which unintentionally echoes John Lewis’ notion of “good trouble” as a catalyst for change, emerged during a period when vocalist/lyricist Shawna Potter was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by life in the Trump era. “I think it expresses something that a lot of people are feeling. Like, ‘Okay, we had our moment. Now it's time to get back to work. We can't let this happen again. We can't endure another four years of this,’” she comments. 

Listen to (+ share) War On Women’s vital new single, “Wonderful Hell,” on YouTube (lyric video) or Bandcamp.

Recorded with the band’s guitarist and co-founder Brooks Harlan alongside J. Robbins at his Magpie Cage Studios in February 2020 and completed in April (when in a COVID-19-free timeline the band would have been on tour with Bad Religion), Wonderful Hell is the first War On Women album to feature the band’s current lineup of Potter, Harlan, bassist/vocalist Sue Werner, guitarist/vocalist Jennifer “Jenarchy” Vito, and drummer Dave Cavalier.  Like War On Women’s previous albums, Wonderful Hell includes anthemic songs that tackle systemic racism, acknowledge the natural feelings of wanting to give up or self-destruct in the face of insurmountable adversity, and some that aim straight at the jugular of gender disparity. 

And while War On Women offers listeners space to vent their anxieties and frustrations, they ultimately challenge them to find their inner strength and build the world they want to live in rather than burn down what’s left of this one. "The thing is, we don't have a do over,” Potter says. “We don't have a time machine. We can't snap our fingers and start from some other place. All we have is right here, right now. So what can you do right here, right now, to help?" So take a breath, recharge, and then join War On Women— because it's time to raise some Wonderful Hell. 

Look for Wonderful Hell to be available digitally on October 30th, 2020 (+ on physical formats on November 13th, 2020).  More news, music, and pre-orders coming soon from War On Women (sign up to receive pre-order details here).

Wonderful Hell Track Listing:

1.  Aqua Tofana

2.  Milk and Blood

3.  Wonderful Hell

4.  This Stolen Land

5.  White Lies

6.  Big Words

7.  Seeds

8.  Her?

9.  In Your Path

10.  The Ash is Not the End

11.  Demon 

Artist photo by: Julia Schwendner

[doomedandstoned]

Strike The Sun: An Interview with Miami’s SHROUD EATER

~By Billy Goate~

~Pictures by Wicked Ways Photography~

This piece has been a long time coming. SHROUD EATER has been a powerful force in doom metal for damn near a decade. Their sound crackles with electricity, with a rumbling low-end that has caused a ripple in the underground and vocals that soar triumphantly above the rubbled landscape. It's inexplicable that we haven't covered them in these pages before. Chalk it up to a scene that has just mushroomed exponentially in size since Doomed & Stoned blasted off in 2013. I came within feet of seeing them at Psycho Las Vegas a few years back, but by that time in the festival I was so exhausted I overslept. So it was high time we gave the Miami trio of Jean Saiz (guitars, vox), Jan Valentine (bass, backing vocals), and Davin Sosa (drums) some love. This has been an eventful year for the band, seeing the realization of their second full-length, 'Strike The Sun (2017 - STB Records), and then having the unenviable experience of seeing this self-same sun "stricken" by a certain hurricane called Irma just a month later. The band was kind enough to oblige me an interview in the days following, including an in-depth, track-by-track walkthrough of their Doom Charting new record.

The new record is a behemoth. Are you finding your approach to writing as a band has changed significantly since the early days? What's your creative process like now?

Jan: First off, thanks for digging the new record! Now, as far as the writing process goes, it’s definitely changed due to changes in dynamics within the band depending on who we’re writing with. I feel that with Davin in the band we are all more involved as a unit. Normally, a riff idea blooms, one of us writes lyrics, things just come together and if it feels right we run with it. Sometimes Jean, being the main song writer, has a solid idea to work off of. Currently, the process has a pretty organic flow.

Most young bands would find it hard to envision five years together and hear you are inching ever closer to 10. I'm curious, how your relationships with one another evolved over the years. Assuming you've always been tight. Would you say being in a long-term band relationship is more or less like being in a marriage? Weird question, I know.

Jan: I personally refer to a band relationship as being very much like a marriage, so not a weird question at all. Jean and I have been together 15 years, have been in this band for about a decade now and have been playing with Davin for a little over two years. Personalities, creative interests, sense of humor, compromise, communication, similar goals -- all among the many things that need to jive in order to make a relationship work. If any of these aspects don’t mesh or there’s no connection it’s very difficult to come together creatively. Writing is very much an intimate experience whereas performing can easily be compared to letting it all hang out so to speak. When shit works, it just does.

What do you all do when you're not creating and performing music?

Jan: Jean is a graphic designer by day and works on commissioned artwork by night. She also runs her cassette label, Primitive Violence. She’s worked on some really killer releases including our limited edition cassette packages for Strike the Sun. Davin is a skilled sushi chef and can also whip up a mean hot sauce. He’s a video game enthusiast and is really good with horses. I’m a full-time photographer, animal lover, dabble in incense-making, and a B-movie buff. I enjoy collecting shitty movies and forcing friends to watch them.

This is your second full-length in 6 years. How is it different for you putting out an LP versus and EP? Does it basically just come down to the number of songs you have on hand? What's special about this LP for you?

Davin: Wasn't here for the whole six, but it's pretty much just that. There's definitely an urge to make the songs on an LP flow better together, while an EP can be presented as a “grab bag” of songs. Aside from being my first longer release with the band, what makes this one special for me is how Jan and Jean pretty much let me do things my way (the dumb, hard way) on the recording front. It was a crazy learning experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have put us all through hell and back.

The sound on 'Strike The Sun' is exquisite. I feel surrounded by fuzz, so thick you could slice it with a knife and gobble it whole! Take us inside the studio and share, if you will, what it took to capture just the right tone and tenor you wanted. For instance, what gear did you/do you find essential to get the sound you want?

Davin: Thank ya! We captured the raw DI signals for guitar and bass in the comfort of our respective homes, and took those dry tracks with us to HiFive Audio in Deland, Florida to be re-amped through the gals’ rigs. This allowed the boys at HiFive to really dial in a great tone without worrying about the strength of our performances. As far as gear goes, Jean’s sound hinges largely on the Black Forest, Pharaoh, and Quantum Mystic pedals, all by Black Arts Toneworks, running full-stack out of a Verellen Skyhammer and Matamp GT 120. Jan also sports a Black Forest alongside the Revelation Superbass, all out of a Fender Super Bassman. Vocals were done at home with me in a similar fashion to the guitar ‘n bass, with drum tracking also taking place at HiFive. All lovingly mixed by Sanford Parker!

Did anything change between the practice room and the recording studio in regard to the songs to more fully realize your creative vision?

Davin: Small things like licks and fills. In a more substantial way, vocal parts got a little more detailed, and a couple songs got the synth treatment. I think the mantra was to not add anything engaging enough to the point where it's absence in a live setting would be noticeable.

You've worked with various producers over the years, but seem to have found your sweet spot with doing the recording yourself. Tell us about the difference it makes having Davin Sosa in the engineer's seat.

Jean: Having someone who is in the band handle the engineering and recording is great for us, because it assures that we have someone who really cares about and will go the extra mile on what they’re working on. He has an exceptional attention to detail, knows the songs from all angles, and he really loves the process of recording; I think that shows in everything we’ve put out since he’s joined us and I feel very fortunate in that respect.

Ok, let's get to the fun stuff. Take us through 'Strike The Sun' and guide us into this landscape of fire, flesh, dreams, and disaster. Is there an interlocking character to the songs we're hearing? Perhaps you can walk us track-by-track through the album, if you like.

Jean: Fire, flesh, dreams and disaster is a perfect summary! There are many references to not being of one flesh or skin, creating a certain sense of unstoppable will power, death, destruction and the lot. So let’s go on that track-by-track stroll:

Smokeless Fire

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

This ambient track, in my mind’s eye, sets the tone and landscape, if you will, for the songs that follow. It conjures a barren, desert-like landscape, with a looming maliciousness. The idea of a smokeless fire is one where the fire is pure, molten energy; to me it is the idea of building up our personal will-power into an unstoppable life-force. The last of the lyrics read: “Offer me sanctity from life's agony of desire” -- meaning, to cut the fat from life and live pure and full of purpose, even if that purpose is assassination and death, as is later revealed.

Iron Mountain

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

This is one of my favorites songs. I love the long, lumbering riff that opens it and lyrically it follows along the path that Smokeless Fire laid out. In this song, it is the beginning of the quest to find that which was lost, but first you must climb, you must struggle, and you cannot be thrown down or distracted from this climb and journey.

Awaken Assassin

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

This is a song Janette wrote, but in the scheme of the album, I see it as the unspoken character has found that which was being searched for, and now begins the work of death and destruction in earnest. The lines I contributed to the song (“Hash smoke open eyes, black toke now you arise, black smoke seeks your demise”) have to do with historical accounts of a sect of assassins in the 11th century led by an “Old Man of the Mountain” that would perform critical strikes of espionage and murder to kill key enemy figures -- but first, the Old Man would have the acolytes fucked up on hashish to instill total loyalty and devotion to the cause.

Another Skin

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

This is an instrumental track that was actually one of our older songs that fit into the narrative of Strike the Sun. There’s a lot of different riffs to this song that lend to the idea of wearing different forms or skins; constant change, constant evolution - where every possibility is within you, should you want to access it and bring it to light to achieve whatever goal. The sample we have towards the end is taken from the lectures of Joseph Campbell. In these samples he says, “You are not this body, you are not this ego, you are to think of this as something merely put on to be thrown away again.”

Dream Flesh

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

It may seem like a surprise but I really love writing and playing sparse, quiet, droney songs - but I have a rule where I rarely share them with anyone; they are my little secrets. Well, "Dream Flesh" is one such tune, but again, fit into the scheme of the record and made a perfect start to the Side B. The lyrics repeat: “A wound that never heals, A skin that never feels” -- again alluding to not being tied to one form or skin.

It Walks Among

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

This is an older one, and a favorite to play live to close out our set (live show spoiler!). This song is inspired by John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), and when we play it live we preface it with a sample from the “Tape Recorder” scene, where MacReady is logging the intensifying paranoia vibe of the outpost. The words, “Nobody trusts each other now...and we’re all very tired,” echo out before we begin the song. The song itself has a weird pacing to it that I really enjoy. It starts off rather slow and sparse, and builds up into a wall of sound before backtracking to a very quiet and delicate part, so to speak. Lyrically we do pick up some of the dialogue in the “blood test” scene of the movie, but it does lend itself to our narrative of the changing/imitating/not of one flesh overarching assassin-character. The lines “Cleave to mortal flesh and break solid bone, becoming paranoid and trusting in no one” echo the sense of isolation, spiritual blackness, faltering on the path mentioned in earlier songs, and embracing the darkness to come to full potential.

Unseen Hand

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

In contrast to the previous track, this song is full of focused will and vitriol from the start. This is the most upbeat and fast-paced song on the record, and serves as a nice jolt of adrenaline. We switch between a few different time signatures on this one, and lyrically this definitely has a renewed sense of purpose and mission. The song closes out with a desperate mantra: “To Fail is to Die,” which leads our narrative perfectly onto the last track.

Futile Exile

Strike the Sun by Shroud Eater

This is my favorite song on the record, and holds a good amount of meaning to me. The loose story of the record comes to a gnarly conclusion, as this song is focused on the hunt for and destruction of this particular person or thing -- they are trying to escape their fate and their past, and hope in doing so person/beast that is pursuing them loses interest or fails. But there is no escape; it will be destroyed, it will be found, as the last lines ring out: “You can’t hide, I will always find you.”

Photo: STB Records

Loving Gordon Grady's album art. What's going on there? Are the figures representative of you three in any way or reflective of the album's content?

Jean: I fell in love with Grady’s art many moons ago and thought the ghostly wraiths he conjures up were a great representation of the vibe we were going for. We really didn’t know what he was going to come up with for us but I absolutely love the finished piece. The figures don’t necessarily correlate to us or the album, although several friends have joked that Jan and I are the two figures and Davin is the puppy in the middle.

Davin: The first thing he sent us ended up being perfect, so there wasn't much room for tying it into themes explored on the album. I do think the ambiguity of the two figures and dog lends to a lot of people seeing them as representative of us. Fine with me, though. I like dogs!

Film by Frank Huang

A lot has happened since the release of your album. You went on tour, is that right?

Jean: We did have a tour, we were very excited about the tour since it would be in support of the new record, and then the tour was cut short right at the mid-way mark due to a hurricane that was threatening (and indeed hit) South Florida and our homes. The tour started off pretty rockin’, with our first show at The Jinx in Savannah playing a benefit for “Friends of Statts.” It was a stacked bill that included Royal Thunder and Black Tusk, and we had a terrific time. We rolled through Winston-Salem, North Carolina at Test Pattern the next day and played with our progressively minded pals Irata, then onto Baltimore the following day to a very cool Metal Monday show with doomy friends in Corpse Light.

By this point in the tour, I should mention, I was receiving about 50 frantic text messages about Hurricane Irma and her projected path of destruction, so between driving, lugging gear, playing shows, etc., the necessity to make a decision about whether we would have to cancel the tour and drive back home was looming very heavily. Tuesday morning we watched one final weather report, and the projected path for the storm was literally a fucking bullseye over Miami. At the time, this was a major storm system with winds reaching up to 180 mph. FYI, a Category 5 hurricane is capped off with sustained winds of 150 mph. So at that point, the call was made: we would travel north to New York City, play our show at Saint Vitus, and then drive like mad back home to have time to secure provisions, prepare our homes, family, and pets for impact.

The Saint Vitus show exceeded expectations, as we played with some very cool bands like Begotten and Eternal Black, met JJ from the Obelisk, as well as Steve “the man himself” from STB Records, and saw our close friends who had moved from Florida to New York. Even though we had to drive 19 hours to get back home, we had that final rad memory to fuel us into the night/day drives.

And the happy ending: We did get home in time to secure everything, and although we all suffered some damage to our properties, we are safe, alive and finally have power back!

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[ts1989fanatic]

Taylor Swift's 15 Best Songs: Critic's Picks

From her beginnings as a country artist to her reign as a global pop star, Taylor Swift has become one of the defining artists of this century -- and that’s in large part thanks to her masterful song craft. Each era of the singer-songwriter’s career has included intricate, instantly memorable musical moments that it’s difficult to narrow down the best of the best to just 15. Yet these songs represent Taylor at the top of her game, whether it be through an extended heartbreak anthem or hilarious declaration of independence.

Here are Billboard’s picks for the 15 best Taylor Swift songs, from her self-titled debut through 1989.

15. Taylor Swift, "New Romantics"

A bonus track off 1989 that out-popped the bubblegum pizzazz of most of the standard track list, “New Romantics” finds Swift gliding alongside gooey '80s synths before pogoing on the chorus with a slew of declarative statements. “Heartbreak is the national anthem -- we sing it proudly,” she states, making “New Romantics” a spiritual cousin to the “miserable and magical” time she had on “22.”

14. Taylor Swift, "Fearless"

A song like the Fearless title track demonstrated why, even as a teenager, Swift’s songwriting was miles ahead of her country contemporaries. The lyrics include several Swiftian hallmarks -- dancing with a romantic partner in the parking lot becomes dancing with a romantic partner “in a storm in my best dress”! -- but that opening line, “There’s something ‘bout the way/ The street looks when it’s just rained/ There’s a glow off the pavement,” effortlessly creates a sense of whimsy and romance that not many artists can pull off.

13. Taylor Swift, "Mine"

The lead single from Speak Now, Swift’s follow-up to the Grammy-winning Fearless, is more muted than its predecessor’s “You Belong With Me”and “Love Story,” and understandably so: It’s a song about not just finding love but maintaining it when the meet-cute has drifted into the past. When that final chorus hits and reaffirms the caring at the heart of this Taylor Swift song, though, it’s one of her most moving moments to date.

12. Taylor Swift, "Tim McGraw"

Taylor Swift sure has come a long way from the first track on her first album, huh? Although “Tim McGraw” sounds nothing like her pop stylings, the charming debut features the same type of vocal resonance and clever wordplay that have become calling cards for Swift. Plus, the fact that she pulled off the line “When you think Tim McGraw/ I hope you think of me,” and then proceeded to become even bigger than Tim McGraw, is something to marvel at.

11. Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars, "Safe and Sound"

The bad news is that one of the very best Taylor Swift songs, the dark, devastated “Safe and Sound,” is not featured on any Taylor Swift album. The good news is that we live in a playlist-friendly culture, and that this collaboration with The Civil Wars for the first Hunger Games soundtrack can be included in any mournful collection of your choosing. A song about protection amidst terror, “Safe and Sound” features Swift’s voice at its most shattered, her best efforts pummeled by the marching drums outside her door.

10. Taylor Swift, "Our Song"

What if Swift had resisted the allure of pop music and committed to a lifetime of fiddle-filled country jams? We’ll never know the answer, but “Our Song” is a gloriously twangy testament to what Taylor once was, before her lyrical ability to find music in everyday life was translated to a different genre. Here, the bubbly words give way to the lush arrangement, which encapsulates the exuberance of first experiencing the world with a romantic partner.

9. Taylor Swift, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"

Years after its release, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” remains bitingly funny, an eye-roll of a pop song about a boy who just doesn’t get it through his thick skull that it’s time to move on. Swift deftly balanced sarcasm with the sincerity of the hook and nails one of her first pronounced attempts at mainstream pop (which became her first single to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart).

8. Taylor Swift, "Teardrops on My Guitar"

Poor Drew: The object of Taylor’s affection in “Teardrops on My Guitar” has a soon-to-be superstar longing for him and he’s totally unaware. The standout from Swift’s debut LP boasts the type of nuanced songwriting that would eventually make Swift a sensation, and while the “I secretly like him but he likes her and he’ll never know how much I like him” dynamic is repeated throughout her catalog, “Teardrops” captures that resignation within a handful of striking images, most notably the title phrase.

7. Taylor Swift, "Blank Space"

There aren’t too many pop songs that turn on a dime in the middle of the second verse, but just as her unhinged character in the “Blank Space” video unravels midway through, so does Swift at the song’s center, diving into self-deprecation and mocking her well-documented romantic history outside of music. “Blank Space” works as far more than satire, though: snappy and uncluttered, it’s a fantastic sing-along dotted with quotable moments (“I can make the bad guys good for a weekend,” “Boys only want love if it’s torture”).

6. Taylor Swift, "Love Story"

It takes guts to name a song something as bold and straightforward as “Love Story,” but Swift’s breakthrough single makes good on the “story” part of the equation by unfolding a modern-day parable that somehow never slips over the edge into full-on cheese. Perhaps it’s the earnestness of Swift’s performance as a heroine searching for an escape route with her Prince Charming and finally realizing that reality can make room for their tale. Out of the millions of love stories in the history of pop music, “Love Story” stands out.

5. Taylor Swift, "Mean"

Simply put, a pitch-perfect rebuke of bullying. The Speak Now single posits that living well is indeed the best revenge, as Swift bashes her early detractor by predicting that her future is bright, while their future only contains minor victories (and a huge helping of meanness). Swift sings “Mean” in first person, but it’s not really for her -- this is a song for people who feel belittled and beaten down by others, who look to someone like Swift for uplift and assurance. “Mean” is designed to shout along with cathartically, and it succeeds.

4. Taylor Swift, "State of Grace"

A bulldozer of an opening to Red, “State of Grace” is Swift’s most sonically towering track ever recorded; it’s a good thing that its author headlines arenas, because no small room could contain this song’s might. Instead of relying on lyrical detail, Swift stacks guitar lines upon propulsive drums and lets the whole thing rip; instead of opting for a wordy chorus, the hook here echoes with conciseness: “I never saw you coming/ And I’ll never be the same.” At nearly five minutes in length, “State of Grace” stays exhilarating start-to-finish and will be one of Swift’s most enduring non-singles ever.

3. Taylor Swift, "Dear John"

One of the (many) reasons any man should think twice about screwing over Taylor Swift: She is capable of penning a visceral, eviscerating takedown as potent as any hip-hop diss track. “Dear John,” a mangling of ex-beau John Mayer, is nearly seven minutes of simmering anger -- but it never feels exploitative or unyielding, instead exploring the feeling of being taken advantage of and punctuating each chorus with a sorrowful “I should’ve known.” Swift uses “Dear John” to turn the gut-punch of being led astray into a clenched fist and declaration of survival. “I took your matches before fire could catch me,” Swift spits at her beloved-turned-enemy. And we, the listeners, simply get to sit back and watch the fireworks.

2. Taylor Swift, "Style"

“Style” is all about the details: the hints of the guitar lick in the verses, the echoing vocals of “out! of! style!” on the chorus, the tension in Swift’s voice when she debates telling her guy that it’s time to leave, the way “James Dean/daydream” and “red lip/classic” are perfect rhymes positioned on top of each other, the release of the “take me hooooome” on the bridge. On an album filled with very good-to-terrific pop songs, “Style” is the most finely manicured, the most well-produced, the most fully realized -- and still, the most affecting. Decades from now, musical anthropologists will study how pop could be this perfect.

1. Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me"

Throughout the twists and turns of her career, Swift has changed sounds, collaborators, personas and approaches, but has not -- and perhaps will never -- eclipse the magnificence of “You Belong With Me.” Credit the song’s simplicity, echoing the thematic concept of “Teardrops on My Guitar” but amplifying the high school heartache and polishing the hook so that it never floats back down after leaving the ground. There are so many things to love within “You Belong With Me,” from the high heels/sneakers dichotomy to that double handclap during the bridge, but more than anything, it’s quintessential Taylor, the ultra-relatable protagonist who can sum up complex feelings in a vocal run or quick turn-of-phrase. “You Belong With Me” has been her defining song for years, and that’s because it’s her best.

ts1989fanatic I guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder or ear of the listener to decide what your own top 15 Taylor songs are. I have to say that most of these would make mine, maybe not in the same order as this list but close.

As for the article itself it’s nice to have someone acknowledge Taylor for her writing ability without slamming her for something or other in the same piece.

[airadam]

Episode 123 : Count On It.

"...we see people as numbers and we make 'em check a box."

- Invincible

I couldn't not acknowledge the numerical sequence in this month's episode number! The episode title ties into that, but also the consistency I pride myself on when it comes to getting the show completed; on time, every time. As far as the tunes this time out, there are a few that play on the theme, plus we remember the great Sean Price on the 4th anniversary of his passing, as well as a bunch of other interesting tracks both old and new. 1, 2, 3, let's go!

Twitter : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Geto Boys : 1, 2, the 3

I'm opening with this track just on principle, but only including Scarface's opening verse - if you want the whole thing, look up "The Foundation" album. That Tone Capone (who gave us the classic "I Got 5 On It") groove is wicked though...

[Pete Rock] Ed O.G. : Right Now! (Instrumental)

It's always good to hear a Pete Rock beat, and the re-issue of "My Own Worst Enemy", his album with Boston legend Edo G, has a full set of instrumentals 👍

Sean Price ft. St.Maffew : Weed & Hoes

Disrespectful on multiple levels - but so good. Not sure who produced this, but that's a brilliant bit of sample manipulation to turn gospel vocals into the hook for this thugged-out track. Sean's verse is definitely the one, but Maffew Ragazino (performing under an (in)appropriate alias) does his thing here too. If you can find it, this track is on the "Kimbo Price" mixtape. I can't believe this is ten years old already!

Heather B : All Glocks Down

A classic anti-gun record from the mid-90s, with this BDP affiliate taking no kinds of shorts on the mic at all! In fact, she would say she was "Takin' Mine", as her debut LP was titled. Kenny Parker works an old soul classic for the beat.

Termanology ft. Bun B : How We Rock

I don't know why I haven't played this one until now - it's been a headphone favourite for a long time, as you can tell by the reference to "Obama '08"! Lawrence, MA and Port Arthur, TX in combination here as Termanology brings in the legend Bun B of UGK to add his gravitas and gravelly flow to this DJ Premier-produced track. "Politics As Usual" is definitely worth a listen if you don't know it, and a re-listen if you do - there are a good number of quality tracks on it.

Papoose : Numerical Slaughter

Every time I think of Papoose, I now think of the late Combat Jack (RIP) - that said, I'd like to think even he couldn't deny this one! In a thematic blend between "Alphabetical Slaughter" and something like Emanon's "Count Your Blessings", 2019 Papoose runs through the numbers one to nine over a dramatic DJ Premier beat. Bars like this show that the title of his new LP ("Underrated") is an accurate one.

Jel : Loop/Truncate

We take a break from the rhymes to hear some pure SP1200 wizardry from Anticon's Jel, taken from the appropriately-titled "10 Seconds" album. That drum programming clearly took some serious work - those who've ever tried it will understand the difficulty level of some of those fills! 

Bumpy Knuckles ft. Big Gov, V Stylez, and Kuye Mason : In Love With The Game

The "Pop Duke, Vol.1" LP is a heavy collaboration with the producer Nottz which is a recommended pickup if you love that boom-bap sound. While there are some big guests on the album, this track features some less well-known artists - Big Gov and V Stylez from Detroit, plus NYC's Kuye Mason on the hook. The beat grinds along like a drunk and grimier version of EPMD's "Headbanger", and after all the guests have eaten, Bumpy Knuckles comes in at the end to do what he does best - clean up like a pro.

Freddie Gibbs : Fuckin' Up The Count

Dark drug business from Gangsta Gibbs' "Shadow of a Doubt" LP. If you were a fan of "The Wire", you might recognise the intro voiceover, bridge, and the outro (if you can hear it) from some classic scenes taken from that monumental series. Speakerbomb, Frank Dukes, and Boi-1da merge some melancholy piano and bass which match the theme with some clean trap drums for that speaker shake.

Portishead : Numb 

The classic "Dummy" album, Portishead's debut, is twenty-five years old this month! This was the lead single, and one hell of an introduction to this Bristol trio. Hip-Hop heads would immediately be able to detect the presence of kindred spirits in method and influence, if not direct style. A track like this wouldn't be the same without Geoff Barrow's scratching filling in the breaks between Beth Gibbons' killer vocals. If you don't know this album, sit in on an evening and give it a front-to-back listen.

Marco Polo ft. Sean P & Rock : I'm So High (Remix)

It was completely coincidental I ended up choosing two weed-themed Sean P tracks this month! This one is new to me, but is a winner - reuniting Heltah Skeltah on a fire Marco Polo beat. The original version of this track, minus Rock, is at least seven years old, so it's not a posthumous piece as such - Marco and Sean definitely worked together on this. "The Green" mini-album compilation is a whole project of ganja business, which I can at least appreciate on a music level even if it's not my experience :)

MFSB : Something For Nothing

Even if you don't know this song, it'll be familiar to quite a number of you because it's been sampled so many times! I'm playing this from an old dusty 7", but that's just a single release from the 1973 self-titled debut album from the house band of the mighty Philadelphia International Records.

The Left ft. Invincible : Statistics

I believe it was Vicky T's "Rhyme & Reason" show that introduced me to this track. The Left is a Detroit crew made up of Journalist 103 on the mic, Apollo Brown on production, and DJ Soko with the cuts. Local mic flamethrower Invincible is the featured artist on this selection from the 2010 "Gas Mask" album, and both MCs paint pictures (one first-person, one not) of hard lives in the face of an uncaring, bureaucratic system.

Rapsody ft. GZA and D'Angelo : Ibtihaj

Now this is what you call a big co-sign - Rapsody rhyming over a tweaked version of the "Liquid Swords" beat, and getting GZA himself to contribute a guest verse! If that wasn't enough, the notoriously reclusive D'Angelo comes in to perform the hook. That kind of weight lets you know that this MC is the truth. She commands the mic with strength and confidence, and it feels like the start of a coming-out party. The new "Eve" album is a sixteen-song collection where every track is names after a woman Rapsody admires - in this case, the American Muslim hijabi fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. Enjoy listening here, but the striking video is definitely worth a watch too!

Camp Lo : Superfly

This Camp Lo demo is dope as-is, but one that I wouldn't have minded hearing done again for the "Uptown Saturday Night" LP. As it is, this is a track that was unknown to most of us until the release of "On The Way Uptown", which collected together a lot of the demos and sketches from that era. Boom-bap, sparkle, and slang in abundance.

DRS ft. Enei : Count To Ten

Last episode you heard DRS in Hip-Hop mode from his most recent LP, but here we go D&B as we wind it all the way back to his debut LP, "I Don't Usually Like MCs But..." DRS delivers his lines with a measured aggression and is never hurried by the track - like an MC version of the T-101. For the instrumental, Russian producer Enei keeps things stark and dark.

Kev Brown : Victorious

Beat-heads will enjoy Kev Brown's short concept beat tape "Delve Into Classical Moog" from which this is taken; not only does he make heavy use of the sounds of the synth of the same name, but also samples the words of the great Robert Moog himself. I've extended this track a bit to make it more suitable for the show outro voiceover, and it was one well worth playing right to the end.

Redman : Da Countdown (Saga Continues)

This might have been a more appropriate pick for episode 321, but if I'm lucky and energetic enough to get that far, that's over sixteen years away - which would make this track officially an oldie! As it is, this is the highlight of the 2004 "Ill At Will" mixtape by Redman, coming out on his then-new label, Gilla House. The beat is bombastic, and Red is not coming meek and mild with it either! The  sample on the hook should sound familiar to those who've been listening since the 90s - it's from the final NWA album. Ironic that the saga did not continue in the way they might have expected...

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

  Check out this episode!

[tune-collective]

The 15 Best Justin Bieber Songs

The 15 Best Justin Bieber Songs

When it comes to pop reinvention, Madonna may be queen, but Justin Bieber is an undeniable king. He started as the cherub-faced heartthrob of your tweenage dreams, quickly grew up into public cultural enemy number one, and somehow rebounded as someone hipsters, dance fans, pop kids, and R&B lovers could agree on.

Throughout his many phases, the one thing that’s remained constant is the music. If anything, the quality has exponentially increased. Love or hate him – and most people love him now – Bieber is a talented singer, songwriter, musician, and dancer. He’s the total package, and his choice in collaborators is more than impressive. Here we go through our picks for the 15 best Justin Bieber songs from the start of his career to now. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z5-P9v3F8w

15. Justin Bieber – “Never Say Never” feat. Jaden Smith

Will Smith is one of Bieber’s ultimate mentors, so of course he and son Jaden Smith got together in the studio when young Smith’s remake of Karate Kid needed a soundtrack. “Never Say Never” still has a bit of young cheese, but it went on to be one of Bieber’s defining early career moments. It was originally written as an adult song called “Sexy Together,” but writers changed the message to reflect one of great courage and confidence, a much more important message for kids to hear, and in 2010, the great majority of Bieber’s fans were still young tweens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4em3LKQCAQ

14. Justin Bieber – “As Long As You Love Me” feat. Big Sean

Who’s ready for some Bieb-step? It’s like dubstep, except it’s Justin Bieber. You get it. This song tries to be a bit dark, but it’s more pink sugar than it is black coffee. It’s still one of the highlights of any Justin Bieber set. The Big Sean feature isn’t the rapper’s best work, but it gives the song a bit of added bite, and who doesn’t enjoy a few verses from Big Sean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXUSaVw3Mvk

13. Justin Bieber – “One Less Lonely Girl”

You know why you can’t help loving this Justin Bieber song? Because Usher wrote and produced it. That and the angelic voice of 14-year-old Bieber is sweeter than honey on vanilla ice cream. While a lot of the baby Bieber tunes are overly saccharine and don’t necessarily translate into our adult lives, “One Less Lonely Girl” is one of those kiddy pop songs that transcends your tweenage puppy love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7-6_t7OEQ

12. Justin Bieber – “Beauty and a Beat” feat. Nicki Minaj

Remember when Justin Bieber’s “computer was stolen” and someone threatened to release the personal footage contained within? The world waited with baited breath (some of us, anyway) for the juicy details, but in the end, it was just a ploy to drum up excitement for this Bieber video. It is a good jam, though, and it represents Bieber’s first strong step onto the dance floor. It’s produced by Zedd and Max Martin, which explains that crunchy synth breakdown I love so much. It was originally written for someone else, but it was Bieber’s idea to put Minaj on the track. Well done, sir.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdx7gN1UyX0

11. Justin Bieber – “Company”

Love in the 21st Century is hard. You want to get to know someone, but you have to keep a healthy distance. It’s the game we’ve created for ourselves, and though none of us really wants to play, them’s the rules. “Company” is a beautiful take on modern romance, a sweet invitation to come closer while maintaining the perfect veil of coy casualty, and it’s just a damn good pop song.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GuqB1BQVr4

10. Justin Bieber – “Boyfriend”

I know Bieber’s reinvention campaign really kicked off with Jack Ü and the Purpose album, but for me, the turning point from teenage hearthrob to adult-ready pop star was “Boyfriend.” That darker sound, that whisper intro, it’s so sexual it almost hurts – even though he still looks like a cherub. Many comparisons have been made to Justin Timberlake’s step-out solo single “Girlfriend,” from the obvious title mirroring down to the similar parking lot pimpin’ music video treatment. This was Bieber stepping out into his “swag” trap ish, and if we listen closely, we can hear the incoming dance music production partnerships coming a mile a minute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC2yu2a9sHk

9. Justin Bieber – “All That Matters”

Sunday slow jam me so hard with this song. This is some slinky, bluesy, babe magic. The acoustic guitar mixes with the harsh electronic beat perfectly, creating a modern R&B sound that can bridge audiences and age gaps. The lyrics were written during a “happy time” in Bieber and Selena Gomez’ relationship, which is kind of heartbreaking but adorable at the same time. Play this at my wedding, and then again at the honeymoon when no one is watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47YClVMlthI

8. Justin Bieber – “Confident” feat. Chance the Rapper

This was another one of those music videos that pulled Bieber into the world of awkward adult lust. These dance moves are too cute, as is our boy. That he teamed up with Chance the Rapper only solidified my strange, building love for the Biebs, and this was before Chance had the Kanye co-sign. “Confident” is beat-heavy with a playful, wonky melody that sticks in your brain and won’t let go. Definitely some feel yourself music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4

7. Justin Bieber – “Baby” feat. Ludacris

Justin Bieber is actually 16 on this song, though he looks and sounds like he could be 12. At that tender teen age, he stole our hearts with a saccharine hook that actually really stands the test of time. “Baby” may have been your tweenage little sister’s favorite jam and your dad’s least favorite song of 2010, but in retrospect, it’s an effing great pop tune. His childlike voice is so earnest and clear, and the fact that Ludacris co-signs a teenage heart throb is more than enough to tell you, this kid is up to something. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK_0jXPuIr0

6. Justin Bieber – “What Do You Mean”

First of all, this music video is freaking amazing. John Leguizamo is a national treasure. Bless him for co-starring in this totally insane clip. Why does Bieber think faking an attempt to kidnap is a good date idea? As if falling into a skate park rave makes the trauma go away. That being said, Bieber’s tropical house follow up to Jack Ü breakout “Where Are Ü Now” is a fanciful, fun-loving breath of fresh pop air. He’s back in the studio with Skrillex and Diplo on this cut, which is turns out was not a solitary experience in any way imaginable. Skrillex is all over the Purpose album, and this is one of the best take-aways.

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

5. Major Lazer – “Cold Water” feat. Justin Bieber & MØ

Bieber’s third phase career as one of the leading dance music vocalists continues to amaze. This collaboration with Major Lazer is a great follow-up to the work he did with Jack Ü, and the addition of MØ’s instantly-recognizable rasp is as bolstering as the bright horn work on the hook. It’s got a bit of that dancehall flavor Major Lazer is known for, but it’s still one of the poppiest works from the trio to date. Put this tune on when you’ve got a friend who needs a life saver and a night on the dance floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euCqAq6BRa4

4. DJ Snake – “Let Me Love You” ft. Justin Bieber

Once Bieber found such success with Skrillex and Diplo, the dance producer flood gates were opened. DJ Snake had to get his own Bieber-assisted super hit, and “Let Me Love You” is one of those pop songs you hear and instantly want to hear again. It’s got that same wonky horn synth from “Lean On,” and it’s got all the dreamy falsetto a young heart can handle. It’s one of the best tunes from DJ Snake’s debut LP Encore, and it was one of the biggest moments of his recent Main Stage closing set at 2017’s Ultra Music Festival in Miami. We can’t help thinking Bieber had a huge part in the song’s success, because, well, he always does, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyEuk8j8imI

3. Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself”

I hereby nominate “Love Yourself” as being the Justin Bieber song with the best lyrics. First of all, opening your track by berating someone for using your name to get into clubs is a clutch superstar move. Also, a chorus all about how your mom likes everyone except your ex is absolutely brilliant. We’ve got to give a nod to Ed Sheeran to the songwriting assist, but we are pretty sure we here honest Bieber all over this. It’s an overly-simple tune, mostly just Bieber and an acoustic guitar with a bit of trumpet thrown in for good measure. It’s incredibly raw, when you think about it, but it plays like a celebratory pop anthem. It’s quite vulnerable for mainstream radio, and Bieber pulls it off with grace and the gusto of a man who knows exactly what he’s doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRh_vgS2dFE

2. Justin Bieber – “Sorry”

The Bieb’s big reinvention LP Purpose is, at its core, all about forgiveness. We as fans needed to forgive him for that weird period where everyone decided he was the worst – or the best, depending on how you feel about young, famous tricksters. He needed to forgive himself for making an ass of himself publicly, and of course, there’s the whole romantic notion of Bieber apologizing to the women (cough Selena Gomez cough) he may have hurt along the road to maturity. “Sorry” is, in that sense, the peak of the Purpose album. Thinly veiled as an amorous apology, he’s just laying it all out over an infectious rhythm with a hook that can’t be denied. Oh Justin, when you come into the room looking like this and singing like that, we just can’t help but forgive you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nntGTK2Fhb0

1. Jack Ü – “Where Are Ü Now” ft. Justin Bieber

I once saw Bieber’s famous manager Scooter Braun give a talk at P. Diddy’s Revolt Music Conference, and he said the moment he knew they had won the Bieber reinvention campaign was when he took the stage at Ultra Music Festival Miami with Skrillex and Diplo, and nobody boo’d. Bieber greeted the Main Stage and performed this song live with the Jack Ü crew, and it was straight glorious. The work with Jack Ü helped solidify Bieber’s new sound as an adult pop star. It’s more grown-up, but it’s still got that sheen of candy-colored fantasy. The pitched-up vocal line in the hook is instantly recognizable and was certainly a game changer in the pop and dance production world at the time. “Where Are Ü Now” is truly a milestone in the pop-dance crossover canon, and it will remain on of Bieber, Skrillex, and Diplo’s best songs for perceivably the rest of the trio’s career.

This article originally appeared on Billboard.

https://tunecollective.com/2017/04/27/the-15-best-justin-bieber-songs/