#well he’s more pop punk but he performs in a punk style

[oldbaton]

I’m obsessed w this cringe insta posting a video of YungBlud spitting and rubbing it in his hair during a show. Have you. Ever been to a punk show? Like Ever? Like does no one have a concept of this? Apparently people are mad at him for drinking onstage??? Who let these people into the world

[rivetgoth]

Black Alternative Music Recs

Not being Black myself, I hesitate to make myself a spokesperson specifically for Black alt artists as I don’t want to be tokenizing or reductive and I’d rather, like, uplift the voices of Black alt people than just make my own lists, BUT, I keep seeing people in the comments of recent posts about Death Grips asking for recs for more Black alternative artists, and I do know a good amount, so as a really basic list I wanted to throw out a few artists I really like—

Light Asylum: Darkwave. Really incredible vocalist, and openly queer. “Dark Allies” is a huge goth club hit but all of her work is great. I’ve seen her live twice and her live concerts are incredible too. One of the bigger Black goth artists.

Ho99o9: Punk/Industrial Hip Hop. Another big one, they’re pretty well known at this point but if you DON’T know them you should. Huuuge variety in sound here, all of it is so fun and solid, absolutely amazing energy.

clipping.: Industrial/Experimental Hip Hop. Really fun and catchy, great lyrics, great mixing, great experimental electronic sound.

Void Palace: Industrial/EBM. Local LA-based act with an amazing industrial dance club sound and vibe. Seen them live and they bring such cool but crazy energy. Really really solid.

O. Children: Darkwave/Post Punk. Really classic gothic sound, amazing vocals, really underrated, theatrical, fun, and moody gothic rock.

Izzy Spears: Industrial/Experimental Hip Hop. Openly gay alternative hip hop artist with a heavy and super danceable beat. I saw him live and he sounded great and had awesome punky energy.

LUSTSICKPUPPY: Punk/Electro-Industrial. Has almost a hyperpop sound sometimes, super high BPM high energy danceable electronic music with a really crazy theatrical style to their performances (kicking myself for missing them last year!). ETA: LSP uses they/them pronouns, corrected now but apologies for missing that irt any older iterations of this post floating around.

Baby Storme: Darkwave/Ethereal Pop. I think she got a bit of popularity on TikTok recently? I don’t use TikTok so idk, but she’s great. Really well mixed, fun, super solid dreamy darkwave with a dancey pop sound intermixed.

Grizz: Darkwave Hip Hop. I JUST discovered this artist, he’s another LA local who just put out a new single that’s getting some attention and he’s really good. Super cool goth fusion sound with really great classic darkwave electronic backing. Check him out!

Cold Gawd: Shoegaze/Post-Hardcore. Iconically sells merch that says “ABOLISH WHITE SHOEGAZE.” Absolute powerhouse of sound; I saw them live and their music sounded torrential, like this intense, powerful storm.

Debby Friday: Dark Electronic/Experimental Hip Hop. Really really haunting and dreamy gothic sound. Collaborates with artists like Boy Harsher. Superbly mixed. Lots of variety in sound but very consistently strong.

Dre Robinson: Industrial/Experimental Electronic. Longtime cEvin Key/Skinny Puppy collaborator. He was on stage with Skuppy during the recent live tour, doing sound and playing the maggot maracas (iykyk). He’s also been involved in a ton of cEvin’s solo work and accompanies him on stage for his live solo shows.

Charles Levi: Industrial/Industrial Rock. Wax Trax!/90s industrial icon, did work for My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult and Pigface. He’s recently had a bunch of serious health problems and has a GoFundMe up of you’d like to donate. He contributed to so much classic industrial rock, it’s crazy.

There’s a billion more. These are just some artists I genuinely really like personally who are Black, and I think all of them deserve a ton of support and recognition as contributors to the alternative scene. There’s so many amazing Black-fronted alternative bands and projects, and I’m just scratching the surface with artists I know and enjoy, Also considered listing some larger names like Yves Tumor and Tricky, but I feel they’re slightly more well known in the mainstream with ~1mil+ listeners on Spotify and I wanted to highlight some slightly more underground voices (to varying degrees—obviously some artists here are more well known than others).

Check them out!! Support Black alternative music!

[basedkikuenjoyer]

That's it, Punk Rocks

Score! This is exactly the type of gag I meant last week. For this next leg of Egghead I want Oda to constantly be asking what absurd ancillary antics the Vegapunks can fill time with. Is it too lofty to note the spooky devil symbols juxtaposed with turning water into well, coffee here for a guy who might have let that death be a planned self-sacrifice to get his message out? Maybe, not like we have our series's big Biblical allusion hanging around or anything. Forget that though, I don't even like coffee and I wanna try Vega-coffee. Keep it up, dicking around like this in the background of scenes is what I want.

It's not just that I love this style of humor, don't miss that the shift in focus is revealing how Egghead has elements that fit the performance theming of WCI & Wano. "Punk" Records, a worldwide broadcast, the elements are there. It's not unlike an old anime special where the plot is protecting a final run of a play. Don't want to diminish the rest of what's going on, just this is the kinda undertone thing we've been on about the whole time. Especially when the same core threads keep popping up. Remember what we said about Buggy?

Love how objective focused the Gorosei are. Really solidifies the tone. Big Egg is still holding up which is good, makes me wonder what we aren't privy to going on in there. Still think there's a lot of potential for something truly weird to break this all into an odd direction.

Like a lot of people, pretty impressed by Samurai Gandhi's spooky horse form. he's cleaning up the Pacifista efficiently. This is quite intimidating and while Dorry & Brogy are awesome to see come into play in such a big way you gotta wonder. Sanji's giving the call to run and let them hold the line. Feel like Robonosuke evening up the 5-on-5 has potential. Hard to tell but this is all so wild.

For now though, don't ignore this is still the big themes we've been looking at since back in Wano. The Gorosei have arrived and they're tamping down the morale hit caused by infighting. Infighting that feels generated along a lot of the same lines Tama did. That, the performance, self sacrifice...I said it early on the more you build that the more it narrows down who threads the needle of all of them. That basic concept that Bakura Town still showcased a way of approaching things that would help here, that Luffy discarded some of the real growth we were seeing since hitting G5. It's all still escalating, deeply woven into this story in front of us while there's another one running in the background.

Speaking of leaving, like this panel for both the bamboo visual and uh, I guess that nut shot would hurt Brook...if he had any! Yohohoho! Glad that's resolved. But, there's an interesting mismatch between Sanji giving the order to flee and the change in focus. The Gorosei showed up wanting to stop this broadcast. It's important. Worth mentioning the only big picture idea I've talked about longer than the Grand Fleet was some kind of worldwide story. Hijacking the broadcast or continuing it to expose the Gorosei's monstrous forms? That could be a huge win for the Straw Hats. A possibility no one in play is really thinking about. The broadcast is all in the background. The enemy strategists just leapt into battle to launch their own surgical strikes, right?

I'm just saying, there's still one mystery from the end of Wano I can't help but notice could make good on the anime theme's promise. Reweave time by tying all this off the wall shit together. A more established outlet for mysteries like it was just taken off the table in the front of this chapter. We'll take on the cover serial tomorrow, but very intrigued by all of this still. Even if I don't point it out everytime, we've never left that core wheelhouse lingering just under Wano's surface.

[floralcrematorium]

what are the main bands in your au rn?

Ty for the ask!!!

so we've gottttt

• Multifacet - The main band, our protagonists. Alfred is the lead singer and guitar player, Matthew is on bass, and Michèle is the drummer who provides backing vocals! Alfred and Matthew are half brothers, related through their mom. Alfred comes to live with his mom's family after his father. uh. dies. and he and Matthew bond over music! Michèle is their next door neighbor, but she and Matthew have been close since they were Very Young. At the start of the AU, when they first get discovered, Al is 23 while Michèle and Mattie are both 20! If I have to assign them a genre, it's pop punk ala 2000s Fall Out Boy

• BeNeLux - Wow, such an original name. Honestly, I can't see anything else working as a name for them, lol. Emma is their lead singer and she originally formed the band with her two brothers, Louis on bass (though I can see him on keyboard, too) and Jan on drums. For some reason, Ludwig is also a part of their band! He's kinda why they were able to get a legit manager - Lud's older brother, Gilbert, who is an industry veteran. Lud is a guitar player! They're THE rival band >:)

• A•S•E•A•N - Another Very Original Name TM. See the funny thing is, in this AU, nobody knows what their name stands for. It's an acronym, but it's a secret (they're probably a band who has fun Lore). I,,, really need human names for the group other than for Miss Vietnam. Anyway - Piri is vocalist, Thailand is rhythm guitar, Indonesia bassist, Malaysia is the drummer, and Liên is their keyboardist (ty to @hoasens for the instrument placements beyond Piri and Vivi). Singapore is actually their manager, despite being younger than the rest of them, and he's actually pretty damn good at it! Especially when it comes to dealing with their shenanigans... The band's founding members are Piri and Liên. They're all very close and have some matching tattoos! And by matching I mean done in a similar style, but the tattoos on each of them are what their national flowers are :)c. Vivi's lotus flower is on the back of her neck and Piri's sampaguita is proooobably on his wrist? They're also a rival to MultiFacet, but in more of a friendly way? Really I just want an excuse to think abt SEAtalia, get to know them better, and give them the screentime they so desperately deserve

• Nata - Natalya (or Natallia, unsure how I want to spell her name atm!), is technically a solo artist, but she's got a band that plays with her, though the members rotate. Despite being goth adjacent, she's rather mainstream and is a well known name. If I had to describe her voice/performance style, Nat in this AU is like if you mix Amy Lee, Mitski, Kate Bush, Siouxie Sioux, and mayyyybe Ethel Cain or Florence Welch together. She's a bit ethereal and brooding. Her style is rather eccentric

There are other bands, but I'm unsure how relevant they are to the plot or I've just thought about them in the context of a band AU for funsies!

[onetoomanyyy]

continuing with the coroika band au

@firefl1ezz I thought more about it so here ya go

Ok so 

In this au, the world of splatoon has leaned into music a lot more and it’s the typical industry young inklings and octolings go into rather than turf wars.

Ofc the original idols and bands still exist, there’s just a lot more now

Some coroika characters work with their team as a band, and others are independent artists who occasionally collaborate with other people

They probably all have separate band names but I don’t wanna think of themmmm

Team Blue - an up and coming pop band trying to make a name for themselves. They kind of suck but they’re trying ok 

Headphones - lead singer

Goggles: backup singer/guitarist

Bobble Hat - Drums

Specs: keyboard

The S4 - a group that formed out of a collaboration with some of the most popular musicians inkopolis. Their music styles clash in a way that produces a unique and chaotic sound. They don’t get along very well, which is the reason why they don’t do live shows together. Ever since Rider collaborated with them, they’ve also been referred to as the S5. Don’t ask me what the s is for here I don’t know 

Army - classically trained and leader of a band who make instrumental music with a strong and prominent bass line (courtesy of B-Sailor, their bassist). Plays mainly piano but also knows violin. He has a great ear and can play a piece just from hearing it. 

Aloha - Independent artist who often collaborates with a small group. Doesn’t play any instruments, but has a killer voice. Makes high energy pop songs perfect for dancing, which he exhibits during performances. Also has the largest social media presence, often meeting and taking photos with fans in public. 

Mask - also an independent artist who produces electronic music (but specifically resembling real world artists such as odetari and 6arelyhuman). His voice is always auto tuned to the max, but he has an iconic drawl that’s easily recognizable. 

Skull - leader of an alternative rock band, playing the drums. Was thinking bass guitar but the s4/5 need a percussionist so…drums. Maybe he can also play the bass, who knows. Doesn’t do live shows very often. He and his lead singer, Aviators, used to be part of a band with Vintage and Omega of X-Blood. 

Rider - PUNK ROCK!! An independent artist known for his brash vocals and long guitar solos. Had collaborated with his own group and the s5 before. Has been trying to teach Goggles more guitar techniques, but has learned that Goggles doesn’t really care if his playing kind of sucks.

That’s all I really have for now, I’ll probably make a part 2 with other characters

[cherrylng]

Muse Disc Guide - Showbiz [STYLE Series #004 - Muse (August 2010)]

IN MUSIC

In the UK in 1999, dance and idol music dominated the scene. This trio emerged in the midst of such a rock slump and brought new life and hope to the scene with their rich creativity and solid musicianship, which were not typical of newcomers.

At the time of making this album, their average age was just over 20. However, for the three, who had been playing together in a band since junior high school, this was their first album. Most of the songs on the album were written over the span of several years. Seven of the songs (2/ Muscle Museum, 5/ Cave, 7/ Unintended, 8/ Uno, 9/ Sober, 11/ Escape, 12/ Overdue) have already been released on rare EPs from their former label, Dangerous (although the recording times and versions were different).

The growth they have achieved since their formation is in direct proportion to the variety of music they have absorbed during that time. From classical to boogie-woogie, Matthew's musical origins lie in the piano, Dom started playing drums after jazz, and Chris has played guitar, keyboards, drums and a variety of other instruments. They started playing in bands around 1992, just as the grunge wave was blowing, but they also digested melodic punk, grebo, goth, alternative metal and more.

What ultimately defined their uniqueness was Matthew's insatiable inquisitiveness and omnivorous tastes. At the age of 17, Matthew wandered around Europe, getting to know the folk music of different regions and later learning to play the Spanish guitar. In his late teens, he returned to classical piano, including Chopin and Rachmaninoff, while the influence of Jeff Buckley became evident in his melancholic melodies and emotional singing style with a deft use of falsetto. This album, which has all of this in its blood, is a debut that is still in its infancy compared to their second and later albums, which fully developed their unique personalities, but it is diverse and accomplished enough to show their potential. The coexistence of the dramatic contrasts of movement and stillness, as well as the coexistence of the intense emotion and elegant romanticism represented by (3/ Fillip), can be said to be the cornerstone of the ‘Muse’ style. —Imai Sumi

-

1999 Hit Albums

The year 1999, when Showbiz was released, was actually a bad year for UK bands. The year was dominated by idol/pop acts. This was epitomised by the debut album (A/ …Baby One More Time) by Britney Spears, the biggest pop icon of the following decade. The video for ‘Baby One More Time’, featuring a high-school girl in a super-mini, navel-baring look, is still burned into people's brains as a powerful impression. It was also the year Christina Aguilera made her album debut. Other so-called boy band albums such as Backstreet Boys, Westlife, and Boyzone topped the charts across the board, while S Club 7 and Steps also became regulars in the UK charts.

In the US, Red Hot Chilli Peppers' (B/ Californication), which Muse also opened for, proved overwhelmingly strong, while Limp Bizkit, who debuted with (C/ Significant Other), raised the signal for the rise of Nu Metal. Eminem, who debuted with (D/ The Slim Shady LP), later became a major force on the chopping block of Limp and the aforementioned Britney. Among these, the few successful albums by young UK guitar bands were Travis‘ (E/ The Man Who), which replaced the loud Rock'n'Roll of their debut with a more melancholic sound, and Stereophonics’ (F/ Performance and Cocktails), which was a straight-up rock hit. Although Muse were initially compared to the likes of Radiohead, they were quite unique in the scene. That hasn't changed even now, though.

-

IN LYRICS

As a debut album, the lyrics are very much Matthew in his local Teignmouth days. A prime example is (4/ Falling Down), which even gives the population/household numbers: ‘15,000 people scream’ and ‘5,000 houses burning down’. The city's status as a holiday destination for Londoners, a city that makes its living by serving tourists, combined with its recent desolation, made adolescent Matthew feel like a core of losers in a society of inequality. It was self-evident to Matthew that ‘no one can save this city’, and not only in this song, but also in the protagonists of the lyrics, there is a tendency to try to escape or hide somewhere.

(1/ Sunburn) is also attributed to a local story, and here too we can see the composition of a disparate society: ‘the winners who spend a lot of money on a tourist attraction that seems to be a kind of women's dance show’. The image of the ‘Sunburn’ = tanning is also associated with ugly adults for Matthew, but it could also be interpreted as a form of the money-grubbing music business. Although wrapped in a thinly veiled mask, there is no way to hide the nervous state of mind before the debut, and the world is formed by ‘me’ who restrains himself and clowns around, and ‘you’ who indulges his desires. Track (6/ Showbiz), exudes the blue anxiety of the night before stepping into the real showbiz.

In an interview during his first visit to Japan, Matthew said, ‘There were alcoholics roaming around in my hometown’, and (9/ Sober), in which several brands of whisky are interwoven, does not deny such drunks, but rather describes the effects of alcohol on the mind and body in a rock-like manner. The casual love for one's hometown can also be read into this, and the half-love-hate feelings towards one's hometown overlap with the split state of what is known in Japan as ‘chuunibyou/middle-school second year syndrome’. The British national band was very young at the time of their debut. —Kaoru Abe

-

YEAR 1999 January - The Euro was introduced as a currency in 11 EU member states. - The children's song ‘Dango San Kyoudai’, which is currently ranked third in (terms of overall sales in) the Oricon singles chart, was released. February - The first brain-dead organ transplant under the Organ Transplantation Act made headlines. March - A Swiss and an Englishman made the first non-stop circumnavigation of the world in a hot-air balloon. - Stanley Kubrick, film director known for films such as A Clockwork Orange, died. - The J2 League, Japan's professional football league, was started. April - Shintaro Ishihara [T/N: RIP to this xenophobic ultranationalist asshole] was elected Governor of Tokyo. - NATO forces bombed Yugoslavia in order to sanction the Kosovo War, which had been raging since 1998. May - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was released in the USA. This was the first film to be made in 16 years. - The Treaty of Amsterdam enters into force. - Opening of Safeco Field (later renamed to T-Mobile Park in 2018) in the US. June - Sony launched AIBO, a puppy-shaped pet robot. The price was 250,000 yen. July - Muse's North American tour started. - The All Nippon Airways Flight 61 hijacking incident occurred, in which the captain was stabbed to death and the perpetrator took control of the aircraft. August - Muse's Germany tour started. September - A M7.7 (7.3 in Richter scale) earthquake occured in central Taiwan, with a death toll of over 2,000 (1999 Jiji earthquake). October - Muse's European tour starts. First album Showbiz released with John Leckie. - The Fukuoka Daiei Hawks won the Japan Series. November - First parliamentary party leadership debate (in Japan). [aka Japan’s first time in trying out the British-style Question Time] December - Macau returned from Portugal to China and the Panama Canal from the USA to Panama.

Translator's Notes: This has way more research required to know what happened in a single year of 1999. The next few albums to cover are going to be quite the effort to cover through.

[residentraccoon]

Ok we have all the songs, time to make a top, with comments even 😳

1. Norway - I love love love this one, this eerie, thrilling melody mixed with the medieval theme and old norwegian language just makes this song perfect and no other song of this year can come any closer to it. Very unique, true to their homeland, absolute masterpiece. I'm definitely following more of Gåte's discography from now on!

2. Estonia - Well they're singing about drugs here and this song is exactly like a drug - addictive. What sells it is their awesome, slightly batshit crazy energy (I absolutely love it) and let's not forget the traditional instruments. I can see a Trenulețul scenario with this one tbh.

3. Slovenia - Absolutely magical, the structure of this song is pretty uncommon and the lil RRAH sounds are interesting, love how it takes a while to build-up and I just get chills all over. This one is a piece of art.

4. San Marino - This song is destroying my Spotify wrapped and it's not even funny, there's something about this one that makes it instantly addictive. I've listened to Megara since last year when they were at Spain's NF with Arcadia and all I can say is that I love their style. Sassy pink and punk rock with a touch of Spanish traditional sounds during the bridge, they just mesh together so well. I don't understand why it's so underrated (currently last in the odds lmfao) and I'm looking forward to their live performance.

5. Denmark - Generic pop song my beloved, why is it so catchy though? I've said it in a previous post, I just reminds me of songs I'd hear in 2013 or so and I love the "Oh-Oh" parts. Lovely

6. Lithuania - The beat hits, it's just awesome fr. Lovely staging and colors, Lithuanian sounds so pretty and melodic as well as his voice.

7. Belgium - Wonderful build-up, the song at first sounds very chill and gives me Blanche vibes (I looked it up and they have the same composer so not surprised lmao) but man, the climax is greaaaaat!! Especially with that choir in the backing. My only gripe would be that he keeps repeating the title over and over again, which can become a bit tiring. But just a bit. It's still a great song!

8. Switzerland - I don't know whose idea was to mix opera and drum n bass together but they're a genius, this is really cool, like absolutely nuts. I love how the bridge is very soft and quiet, opposing the loud and dramatic chorus, I feel like the song itself is pretty messy and inconsistent but I really like that, it's very out of the box and innovative. Genius entry.

9. Latvia - Underrated, I can see why it might fail to grab an audience in the fandom but I really like this one, especially his voice. The song flows nicely too, I only wish the staging would be a bit more...dynamic though? I really want Latvia to qualify for once, felt like it might have a chance since it could attract some casual viewers (some of my casual friend watchers really liked it!) but seeing how brutal semifinal 2 is (and one spot will be inevitably taken by...yeah won't elaborate) I'm afraid Latvia's out for this year as well. I hope at least for a surprise or who knows. That's only how I feel at this moment.

10. Spain - My biggest grower of this year and a total banger, I don't understand why it slaps so hard it has no business to, the message is SO real and it's so unapologetically sassy.

11. Czechia - Same story as with Latvia, underrated to hell and back, I know the live version is...a lil terrible but the studio one I really like. Love how you can feel the frustration through her shouty lyrics and how she's blaming herself for not loving herself more instead (also the beginning might or might not remind me of Aijā I mean the intro with the drums makes me think of it-) ANYWAY

12. Croatia - Listen I'm very happy for Croatia being seen as a most likely winner of this year, they deserve it, Baby Lasagna is an amazing man and the message is on point, even if it's not exactly my favorite I definitely root for him!! Please meow back if you agree. Besides this, the glam ethno rock sound is just 👌 chef's kiss

13. Armenia - Love love love that they brought something ethnic!! The girl's energy is infectious and she's such a joy to watch, the music video is very pretty and describes their culture so well, overall I adore this.

14. Netherlands - GREAT I relistened to it so I can rank it and now I have Europapapapapapa stuck in my head how wonderful. This tells me already that this is such an infectious bop that will never leave your head. Possible televote winner, love the quirkiness and Joost is really goofy we stan.

15. Greece - Welcome to Greece, everyone who visits the country is obligated to listen to this the moment they step out of the plane- /j It's so Greek, so fun, so ethnic, geez what's happening with everyone being so diverse and true to their culture this year? This song screams summer vacation in Greece and I'm here for it.

16. France - The raw emotions in this...he sings with his heart and soul, his voice is very deep and gruff which feels a bit unusual to hear such an intimate and emotional ballad from him, but this is what makes the song special.

17. Italy - Love her attitude and how she sells the song, it's very sassy and fun, won't be surprised to see Italy get yet another Top 5 finish with this.

18. Ukraine - Interesting mix of melancholic pop and energetic chanting and rap. Alyona just nails the rap part perfectly. Overall nice song, grew off me but still great.

19. Ireland - This makes me have chills all over my body. It's very haunting and suspenseful, I love the uncommon unique sound and how they recite the lyrics as they are a poem/creating a curse, I simply love how avant-garde Ireland are this year! Finally they're taking a risk and even if the song is unconventional i hope it will have a following that will help them get through the semi! 🤞

20. Poland - Oh look another grower, it's such a cute song for some reason and her voice is so pleasant to the ears.

21. Serbia - At first I thought it's a bit boring but now I find myself mumbling "Lila Ramondaaaa", like it has a hook even if it's a melancholic ballad.

22. Portugal - The emotions in this are immaculate, she conveys all her struggles in life so well into a ballad that's somewhat soft-sounding. Epic.

23. Australia - For some reason this song takes me back to 2015-2016 and I don't get why?? Maybe I heard music that's similar to this in that period, who knows. That chorus slaps immensely, as well as the didgeridoo(I hope that's the instrument), but I'm not extremely head over heels about it. It's enjoyable still!

24. Malta - Contrary to popular belief I enjoyed the revamp, she made it easier to sing live and it just has more oomph, good job, Malta.

25. Finland - The whole 3 minutes are absolutely batshit insane and I love it fr, these dudes are a delight to watch. The song tbh I like it but not that much to rank it higher, but I appreciate the craziness, the message, what sells it is definitely the staging and the guys' stage persona.

26. Austria - Mmmmm I know it's a fan favorite but I'm not a big fan of this, like I've said before in some other posts. The hype at first was highly irritating (especially on twitter, dear god 💀) for such a...just okay/good song? First of all I appreciate the throwback to the late 90s/early 00s eurodance/synthpop music that was popular back then, I think it does a great job imitating the vibes of it, but at the same time is it just me or this song feels so...calculated and has this eurovision-specific formula in its structure/sound? It was definitely made for it being performed live and to pander to the yass queen slay ate and left no crumbs-side of the fandom? Which honestly kinda drags it down a lot for me.

27. Sweden - I can't unhear parts of Air in this, well actually that's their style, neat electro pop tbh, I can bop to this, pretty enjoyable.

28. Moldova - Falls flat but what makes it a bit stronger is the vocalisations in the chorus, as well as the lil ethnic sounds. That drum is also quite catchy. They have to pull out a wonder-staging for this to qualify.

29. Georgia - If Georgia isn't qualifying with this one then that means their only hope is borrowing Loreen at this point. It's a competent girl bop with powerful vocals, that has a dedicated following, but I appreciate that even if it's a girl bop it's not so aggressively in your face like...other examples I've seen before. I'm personally not big on it, but it's nice.

30. Azerbaijan - Oh? Azerbaijan sends something in their language, what is this 2050? And not with a melfest reject? For the 2nd year in a row? I'm very impressed, but even with all these I don't feel that attached to the song, just glad they took a risk instead of renting a swede for safe qualification like they did in the past years. I love the ethnic touches though.

31. Luxembourg - Cute and peppy french bop, although a bit generic and that's about it, no strong feelings.

32. Cyprus - Mmm your regular girlie pop of the year, unsurprisingly from Cyprus as well. Pretty catchy, has a cool vibe but I'm not feeling anything about it.

33. United Kingdom - Just a competent mid-tempo boy bop, honestly nothing much to say since it kinda failed to impress me. Good effort though.

34. Albania - I don't get why they changed it into english, why they turned it more upbeat (I liked the balladier version more) and the rap part feels disjointed. Albania wanted to relive their 2016-2017 era I see.

35. Germany - I'm sorry but this song bores me to death and can't listen to it without zoning out which is a shame because he's a competent singer (his voice is the best thing about Germany this year) and I'm afraid they're again heading for a bottom 3 finish 💀

36. Iceland - Mmm this isn't is, Iceland. Very sorry. Sounds like it would get 13th in 2004, it's a very by-the-letters eurodance.

I will not rank Israel here. It's still mind-boggling that they're still allowed to participate.

[neattequila]

Harry's Style Evolution (by an actual stylist) Part 3: Fine Line Era! Part 2 of 2*

Gorlies I can't believe I hit pic limit on the first Fine Line Era post (I can believe it, I have so much to say.)

Anyway this is Harry's Style evolution part THREE part TWO (like how they made Breaking Dawn two movies ya get me?)

*PLEASE read part 1 first. That is linked HERE!

2020

January of 2020 feels like it was a lifetime ago, but here we are. Fine Line the album just came out in December and after preforming the full album twice, once in LA and once in London. Harry's back in London for award season.

The pics aren't revealed til later but H rings in the New Year in the INFAMOUS "But Daddy I Love Him" shirt <3

Later in January arrives at Radio one in a gorgeous Bode jacket carrying Gucci's Jackie purse.

But girls (gender neutral) get comfy because it's time for the Brit Awards and the look we need to talk about is this one.

LISTEN!!! The girls that get it GET IT! Because this was EVERYTHING EVERYTHING!!!

To DATE I think this is the best award show look he's ever worn, contending only with the leather suit at the Grammy. I really thought this was going to be the new style. It's sexy, it's slightly punk, it's BRIT POP references chock full!

The Mary Janes, the Brown suit with the purple sweater and blue lace color with the pearls and the HAIR! THE BRIT POP PUNK HAIR! This was *chefs kiss* I am absolutely devastated that we never got anything like her again.

Also at the Brit Awards he wears this yellow suit paired with purple necktie, and Treat People With Kindness pin. For his beautiful falling performance he wears a full lace ensemble including gloves. This night is also includes my blog name's origins.

Fine Line promo continues and Harry wears a myriad of cozy outfits.

In New York he wears a JW Anderson cardigan, later to become TikTok famous with the "Be Healthy, Eat Your Honey" shirt and Gucci jeans. Later he wears another sweater vest (staple of the FL Era,) and for NPR's Tiny Desk he wears a Gucci mohair sweater.

At the beginning of the end March 2020 Harry's shoot for Beauty Papers comes out. One of my FAVORITE editorials he's ever in.

These photos are gorgeous, camp, sexy, kind of eerie. He's photographed and directed by Casper Sejersen who I think absolutely killed it. Beauty Papers always has amazing queer camp shoots and I highly recommend paying attention to them.

The world goes into lockdown and H releases the previously recorded "Watermelon Sugar" music video "Dedicated to touching."

Most of the ensemble is Gucci but some pieces were vintage thrifted including the loose-knit tank (right.)

Harry grows out his facial hair and becomes even sexier somehow.

Like fr. This is the hottest he's ever been. Left he wears a hoodie that he made himself printed with photographs of philosopher Alain de Botton, and paired with the vintage military jacket he was wearing in Japan during 2019. Middle I just think this pic of him is so hot, and right he wears a custom Bode shirt.

September 2020 Harry becomes the first man to ever be on the cover of Vogue!

Y'all I was so excited when this first came out. So imagine when I opened the magazine and saw the absolute trash outfits they put him in for it. Like literally all of these outfits are some of the worst he's ever worn. Like honey clean up! Vogue is here!

The only piece I adored from this whole shoot was the custom Bode pants. Bode has a chokehold on me and I wish Harry L would've featured more of them in this shoot.

In October of 2020...

The MV for Golden is released after being filmed in Italy and heavily features both Gucci and S.S. Daley pieces. The Eliou necklaces he covets make their first official debut in this video as well.

In November he films (released in December) this performance for iHeartRadio. He's wearing head to toe Gucci with a custom Eliou necklace. His hair and this performance is so dreamy. (Left)

He also starts filming Don't Worry Darling *crowd boos* and among his cozy on set looks this is my favorite. The pictures of him this day really made me go gaga. He wears a Free & Easy shirt paired with Elder Statesmen sweatpants and New Balance sneakers.

2021

It's 2021 baby! Harry rings in the new year by releasing the video for TPWK with Phoebe Waller Bridge

We're jumping to March 2021, I'm scared to hit pic limit again lol, with the GRAMMYS!

Harry wore three! outfits to the Grammy's where he took home his first ever Grammy for Song of the Year. All three looks were Gucci and all featured feather boas which he never wore again! Which is odd because it really seemed like it was going to be a tour staple, but wasn't!

Throughout the summer and into fall his personal style is very casual, this makes sense. We're still in a pandemic and everyone is trending to a more casual fit sense. I had to include the pink beanie because every time I remember that it's $112 I go inside. Girl I got the same one for like $10 from Forever21 5 years ago!

April/May

In April Harry stars in a Gucci campaign along with many other celebs (left,) he also attends the Brit awards in May (Right) wearing a Gucci ensemble that isn't bad but is nothing to write home about. This is the first time we see him in Gucci Gazelle sneakers which will later become a staple.

September the long awaited Love on Tour officially starts!

The tour kicks off in Las Vegas with a fun sparkly Gucci outfit, and continues with these suspender/open shirts/high waisted pants that we saw on the Fine Line cover. These outfits are underwhelming but do ultimately make sense.

The tour outfits really do blend together, the full collection can be found HERE, so here are three of my favorites <3

We'll end our Fine Line coverage with the first annual Harryween!

Harry wore custom Gucci ensembles for both, one dressing as Dorothy and one dressing as a pierrot.

Next is Harry's House Era!

Thank you again for all the love, and for bearing with me when I had to split these into two parts!

AGAIN PART ONE IS HERE!

See you next time <3

[trusttheduchess]

She Stoops To Heist - character introductions

my current writing project is in the idea stage, it's a heist comedy television series. I have a few arcs planned out, most of the characters are planned out, their individual arcs need some work tho. To start with, I'll introduce you to the main cast now! (i used picrew to give the general idea. other sketches can be available soon)

Jean - the Group's De-facto Leader and Actress

A struggling actress working as a waitress in a dingy diner. She lives in a suburb of the Bay Area with her roommate Blaine. She aspires to the finer things in life, and often comes up with alter egos when she's bored. Her interests include fashion and disguises, as well as Shakespeare, tragedies, and dramas. She often annoys her friends with impromptu performances. She can be described as standoffish, but is very open and lively with her friends. Her style can be described as a blend of vintage Americana and modern femme fatale. Her music taste consists of musical theater, lounge rock, and a type of music that can be affectionately referred to as an aging opera singer singing to an empty theater she once ruled.

Blaine - Sleight of Hand, Logician, Dead Language Expert

Jean's roommate Blaine is a librarian who spends his offtime with his nose in a book. He tags along with Jean and crew because of his neverending thirst for knowledge. And he didn't didn't want Jean to leave him with the lease. He enjoys old detective novels, and knows a lot of random knowledge on different topics, from history and language to fiction and media. He's sorta shy, a little clumsy from time to time, but he has a big heart and loves his friends to death. His style is best described as dark academic, poet, and bookish. His preferred music is 70s soul, indie rock, and young adult contemporary.

Frontier - Hacker, Gadgeteer, Programmer

Frontier is a programmer who was working a coding job, but as is the nature of corporate tech jobs, he was under constant crunch time. Despite working long hours, he still was stuck in poverty and was barely getting by. Due to this constant state of stress, he is noticeably more lax than the rest of the cast. He enjoys romcoms and reality television, as well as the history of tech and electronics. His defining accessory is an ear antenna. His style is best described as cybernetic, retro, and grunge. His favorite music is EDM and house music.

Mistletoe - Gymnast, Mechanic, Tight Spaces

Mistletoe, sometimes Misty for short, was Jean's coworker at the diner, and her work bestie. Her reason for joining Jean is twofold, she has a thirst for adventure and wants to keep hanging with Jean. The second reason is quite sad, but she is also fleeing an abusive relationship. This will get focused on, but will be more subtextual to avoid crossing any lines, and more focused on the effects the relationship had on her. Her interests include conspiracy theories, though she doesnt believe them, and animated movies as well as cartoons. She is a little hyperactive, enjoys cartoonish violence, and plays her "cute card" but has a dark side to her. Her style is best described as cutesy, indie, and colorful. Her music taste is bubblegum pop and rave jams.

Lilith - Skillmonkey with a focus on demolitions

One half of the skillmonkey twins, Lilith was part of Jean's original trio. She has a wide variety of skills, depending on what the group needs at any point. Her specialty is demolitions. She dabbles in goth culture. She's friendly, but guarded. She is very good at cooking and baking, and she's often spending her free time in the kitchen. She also enjoys reading and writing. Her style is described as goth, grunge, and general alternative. Her preferred music is post punk and goth rave.

Edgar - Skillmonkey with a focus on mimicry

Edgar and Lilith were Jeans original partners, and are along for the ride because of their shared history. They also owe Jean. Edgar's specialty is mimicry and ventriloquism. His main interest is music, and he enjoys lots of genres. He also enjoys horror movies and the history behind horror media. He's sort of stoic and not easily startled. He is very open and loves getting to know people. His style is described as punk and grunge. His music taste is a mixture of genres, but primarily listens to punk from the 70s to modern and 90s jungle beats.

Feedback welcome! I don't expect this to get a lot of traction tho.

[gerogerigaogaigar]

Alright so here is another set of reviews. This time it's my brother who is very much into fun and goofy music so enjoy this selection from my brother Jason!

The Aquabats - Fury Of The Aquabats!

The Aquabats are living cartoons. Concentrated essence of childhood fun. They are a child friendly ska punk Gwar. Even though this album is from long before their purely kid oriented Yo Gabba Gabba! days there is still a distinct family friendly atmosphere to The Fury Of The Aquabats! It has a similar energy to Homestar Runner or The Muppet Show where it is kid friendly media made for adults. And, like those examples, it works because they are having so much goddamn fun with it. It is deliberately and pointedly stupid. Magic Chicken is a song about chicken. I'm laughing because it's funny. The Cat With Two Heads has the line "I was in my laboratory creating what i thought would be we something great for the world, a two headed cat. You can pet one kitty's head and pet the other kitty's head, but little did i know the power of atomic energy would create a

two headed man eating monster!"

So have I convinced you to listen to a 90s ska album yet? Because this is a very pure example of the genre musically. It has the pop punk pacing and fast paced ska rhythm and the horn section and everything. It does admittedly have some, uh, genre diversions I guess I'll call them. Attacked By Snakes is a tango song and Lobster Bucket is a zydeco type thing sometimes. The MC Bat Commander is a perfect vocalist for this kind of music. He's so goofy, but you never really get the impression that he isn't taking it seriously. Or at least he is meeting the music and lyrics on their own terms. It is very endearing. Plus this album has a little bonus that other Aquabats albums lack. Do the drums sound like really competent to you? Like way too much for a pop punk band? Yeah that's Travis Barker of Blink-182 fame. He's probably the most talented punk drummer and he lends a fantastic energy to these songs.

Deee-Lite - World Clique

If you know Deee-Lite already then you probably know them as the one hit wonder who did Grooves Is In The Heart. Well this album deserves more recognition than just having produced a hit single. Deee-Lite channel the 60s flower child throwback aesthetic harder than any other artist of the 90s and they bring that energy to house music. Now I feel like a lot of electronic music fans start to dismiss an artist the minute they hear pop vocals, but this is totally unfair. Dee-Lite use vocals the way they would use any other instrument on a house track. The repetitive vocal lines mesh with the piano samples, drum loops, and funky bass.

Speaking of funky bass, this album has a few performers with a pedigree. Three former Parliament-Funkadelic members feature on this album, trombonist Fred Wesley, saxophonist Maceo Parker, and bass legend Boots Collins. Plus A Tribe Called Quest member Q-Tip gets a verse on Grooves Is In The Heart. That element of P-Funk goofiness is apparent in their peace and love lyricism and overt cheesiness. And while a lot of memorable tracks like Try Me On and Groove Is In The Heart are more hip house to pop oriented the rest is populated by songs like What Is Love that show off a more traditional house style. The album has enough variety and good enough pacing that you don't need to throw these songs into a DJ mix when you can just throw on this whole album and get the same experience.

Shonen Knife - Brand New Knife

I can't pretend this is my absolute favorite Shonen Knife album, I'm more of a Burning Farm or Pretty Little Baka Guy kinda girl. But Shonen Knife doesn't exactly disappoint here either. There's a simplicity to their lyricism and playing that leaves little room to actually fuck it up. The punk rock meets 60s girl group sound feels like it should be influenced by cuddlecore musicians except for the fact that Shonen Knife's sound predates that movement by a decade. This album is smack dab in the middle of the height of that scene though (low heights admittedly) and there is definitely a bit of a cleaner sound than on previous Shonen Knife records that reflects the styles of the time and the rising success of the band. I don't personally believe that higher production quality does much for them, but as long as they are still singing about food and other things that make them happy Shonen Knife will always be a treat to listen to.

Bitch Ass Darius - Follow The Sound

This is the greatest DJ mix ever. Booty bass or ghetto house or ghettotech or whatever you want to call it is a chatic style of house that adopted a lot of hip hop tendencies and then ramped things up to eleven by using the most sexually explicit lyrics possible. Follow The Sound is the most ridiculous example of this already ridiculous genre.

Bitch Ass Darius is an anomaly to me. I can't find out who they are or if they made any more mixes under a different alias. A friend showed me this mix once and I don't know where he found it. The experience of listening to the mix is kind of similar. In between recognizable samples will be snippets of things that you couldn't place the origin of in a million years. And even if you could they probably fly by so fast you don't have time to parse what he just sampled before the world's foulest lyrics start repeating some shit like "he's not my baby daddy he's just a sperm donor" or "I wanna fuck your mouth". A lot of typical booty bass samples are present which means nothing if you aren't a freak like me, but if You've ever heard that memetic snippet that goes "ass n titties, ass n titties, ass ass ass ass ass n titties" that was DJ Assault who is a staple of the genre and that exact sample is in this mix. But the typical hyper crude samples are interspersed with something way weirder. Random seconds long snippets of literally anything else. I can't explain the experience adequately because everything is always happening so fast. My favorite example that I have managed to catch is that he rapid fire samples Michael Jackson (pitched and sped up naturally) saying "beat it, beat it!" And then without missing a beat counterpointing it with the Weird Al parody lyrics "eat it, eat it!" This happens in maybe one and a half seconds. The contrast of samples is a great vehicle for delivering the comedy inherent in the genre while also delivering a good example of the music. Despite feeling like it's poking fun it still remains respectful of the chaos of booty bass music. The album dwells on nothing. It doesn't care if you heard that because listen to this! Follow The Sound is the purest and most perfect sonic overload. If you have problems with auditory overstimulation then seriously consider skipping this album. But if you have ADHD like me then you are about to find your new favorite thing.

Accept - Balls To The Wall

This album is gay af. It was noted at the time and the band acknowledged it. To quote drummer Stefan Kaufmann "It's a phenomenon that should be taken into consideration. Because it exists on a wide scale and should be demystified. In fact, this is a phenomenon of society that needs to be taken as such. For a long time gay people have been considered as sick or insane. And yet, it's time to respect these people, open our minds which are often closed."

This is the kind of music that I think most people are thinking of when they say "heavy metal". It is riff driven heavy music with corny lyrics about tough guy stuff. Like having sex with men. Accept is like if AC/DC was self aware. And thankfully the only ballad in the album is actually good too. It's hard to review this style of metal without sounding dismissive. The camp is obviously deliberate here so I don't feel as bad poking a little fun because I think I'm laughing with them a bit. But really this is a simple and effective album with no weak tracks and themes that it plays straight. Which doesn't seem like much but in the world of late 70s early 80s heavy metal its really raising the bar for future acts.

Desmond Dekker & The Aces - 007 Shanty Town

Before ska was associated with middle school boys with frosted tips and cargo pants, before the days of London teens in ill fitting suits and checkerboard patterns, before dub and reggae there was Desmond Dekker. One of the 60s original ska artists. With a sound that blended Jamaican mento music with a solid helping of jazz and R&B to create a unique blend of Jamaican pop music.

The unique beat that we all know and love (you love it right?!) is created by muted guitar downstrokes on the one and three beats and loud staccato upstrokes on the two and four. Add in some horns, walking bass, and vocal harmonies and you've got the blueprint for basically all ska. And this combination, the crisp staccato guitar and horns especially, grant a uniquely sunny disposition to basically the entire genre so that even when Desmond Dekker is singing about poverty or crime there is an underlying love for his home in every song. Plus a lot of the gangster aesthetic is pure kitsch and is strangely one of the major aspects of the genre to have maintained throughout the years. Ska artists all wanna be in Oceans Eleven even in back in 1967.

Mastodon - Leviathan

If 17 year old me knew that in the year 2023 I was still going off about how much I love this album I think she would call me a slur and have a weird feeling about being called 'she'. I've liked this album for a while and the more metal I listen to the more I appreciate Mastodon. They are somewhere between being sludge, progressive, and death metal and they navigate that in-between with skill. The chugging skudginess can easily erupt into speedy solos and there is an abundance of complexities in the musical arrangements.

Leviathan is the second in a tetralogy that incorporated their first four albums each being themed after a classical element. Leviathan is a concept album about Moby Dick and therefore is obviously water. If their more aggressive debut is fire and the sludgier Blood Mountain is earth then Leviathan's status as water follows. The riffing crashes like waves and there are a lot more melodic flowing sequences that also suggest water. Although the album is more strictly focused on its Moby Dick themeing. Leviathan crashes forward with an intensity that is honestly too much to just call sludge metal but it never hits the level of screaming that you expect from death metal. In retrospect Mastodon have always been a very progressive metal act and I think this album in particular does the best at blending all of their different styles into one package. That said all four of their original albums, Remission, Leviathan, Blood Mountain, and Crack The Skye are worth a listen.

K.d. Lang And The Reclines - Absolute Torch And Twang

Oh so my son of a bitch brother is gonna be a bigger lesbian than I am by giving me a k.d. Lang album I've never listened to huh? Before she transitioned to a more lounge / jazz style k.d. Lang was a full on country western musician with her band The Reclines. Country music had been in severe decline for over a decade but somehow Lang avoids any of the pitfalls of her contemporaries. Instead she mines decades worth of country music blending rock influenced outlaw styles, singing cowboy western styles, and 60s Nashville sound into a monolithic style that celebrates the history of the genre without just being a period piece. And her voice is just astounding. She can sing tender love ballads and rollicking honky tonk numbers with equal ferocity. Her mezzo-soprano is maybe the richest I've ever heard.

Luie Luie - Touchy

Luie Luie is here to tell you about a new dance called the Touchy. This is going to be a bitch to explain. Luie Luie was an outsider musician from the 70s and understanding that he was almost certainly on the autism spectrum goes a long way towards understanding what's going on here. You see Luie Luie was a nightclub manager who thought that people didn't touch enough while dancing anymore so he tried to make a new dance called The Touchy that would encourage touching but with clear rules for how you were allowed to touch you dance partner. It's strange but all very well meaning. He managed to finance the creation of an album and so Touchy was born.

So after Luie Luie tells you that he's invented a new dance and that he plays all the instruments on the album and that every touchy starts with a "wild horn intro" we get a wild horn intro and holy shit he's actually a really good musician. The touchy is basically a mix of mariachi, funk, soul, and lounge music. The slightly offbeat sound and cheap production are wildly endearing especially when you understand this as a passion project that is composed, performed, and recorded all by one man. Luie Luie is a fairly talented multi instrumentalist and where his technical skills falter he covers with incredible ear for complex arrangement. Some songs like El Touchy make for fairly danceable music, although I would rather sit and listen than dance and touch if I'm being honest. Although special mention should be given to the track Touch Of Light for it's intense layering of up to fourteen trumpet parts creating an elaborate tone poem that recalls the works of Ligeti. I'm eternally baffled and grateful for the Touchy it is the rare piece of outsider music that is actually as listenable as it is intriguing.

Kumi Tanioka - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles OST

Crystal Chronicles is such a weird mess of a game. It has an intriguing narrative structure, but the repetitive gameplay loop makes finding the plot tedious. Plus it isn't really fun to play at all unless you have at least three people with game boy advances and gba link cables. I beat it single player when I was a kid because I'm neurodivergent.

Soundtracks are difficult to review. Should you review it as a stand alone album, pretend the source material doesn't exist? You would be missing crucial context and anyway a soundtrack that does stand alone as an album probably didn't work that well as a soundtrack then. Well the answer for me is to realize everything has context. Nothing exists in a void. If you saw an album with blood and gore on the cover and the title in a death metal font and then the album contained folk rock your opinion of the music would be colored by that experience even though the cover has no effect on theusic. So let your understanding of this music be colored by the fact that it is the soundtrack to a GameCube game.

Kumi Tanioka is mainly just the Crystal Chronicles composer and that's a shame because she is extremely good. Final Fantasy games have a long history of using their music to heavily influence the game's mood, but that is partially because of the efforts of long time composer Nobuo Uematsu. Tanioka manages to outdo even Uematsu when it comes to heavily themeing the soundtrack. The Crystal Chronicles OST features music heavily influenced by a mix of medieval folk styles. Music that plays in towns and in roads will have aspects of Byzantine music while your hometown festival is very Celtic. Some tracks like Twilight In Dreamland show some influence from South American music too. The idea of a world music soundtrack to a game about trying to travel ever farther into an unfamiliar world is quite brilliant.

The music is also melodically beautiful. And catchy. There are tracks that you are severe risk of getting stuck in your head especially Annual Festival or the opening vocal track Sound Of Wind. A lot of games have a vocal pop track tacked somewhere in there and sometimes it does work (I dunno how FFXV pulled off a Florence Welch cover of Stand By Me but goddamn it worked) but usually it's just an out of genre pop song that doesn't mesh with the game at all. Sound Of The Wind is a great song that works as a pop song units own right but also sticks to the medieval themeing of the rest of the soundtrack.

You might not appreciate listening to this as much if you haven't played the game. And honestly I can't in good faith recommend Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, it's not a very good game. But this soundtrack is one of the ones I put on just to listen to and it is probably my second favorite Final Fantasy OST after FFIX.

[uppastthejelliclemoon]

i want to hear about ur every cat is a different music genre idea !!!

WONDERFUL THANK YOU FOR ASKING

so this has been on my mind since i first saw Rap Tugger's design!

because it's honestly SUCH a good design, it just doesn't fit within the replica cats show, so i feel like creating a non-replica where each character is based around a different dance/music genre would be the most fitting spot for Rap Tugger's design!

(and idc, i'm a changed woman, Rap Tugger's version of Tugger's song is an actual bop, and his lil Mistoffelees rap is wonderful, me from two years ago didn't know what she was thinking)

so i have a few ideas:

Tugger: obviously Rap Tugger, keep that design because it's perfect

Munkustrap: rock, idk why but i'm imagining him as the rock genre, mainly because i think it'd be cool if he and Macavity have similar styles and the Macavity fight music would be more of a rock style

Old Deuteronomy: country, and that includes a nice big cowboy hat because ofc it does

Jennyanydots: Flamenco, because i think the tap-dancing would translate SO well into a flamenco number

Victoria and Mistoffelees: traditional ballet outfits, think something from the Nutcracker or Swan Lake (i just like the siblings matching i think it'd be cute)

Plato: thinking about Plato in a punk-style outfit and performing alongside Victoria in her fluffy tutu is literally the cutest thing so yeah them 😌

idk i'm imagining Etcetera, Electra, and Jemima in k-pop-style outfits

those are only a few i can think of, if anyone has any other ideas PLEASE tell me

[thisaintascenereviews]

Best Of 2023

Well, it’s that time, guys, gals, and non-binary pals — it’s the end of the year (well, it’s already the beginning of the new year now). My buddy Jake and I collaborated on a piece that talks about our favorites of the year, but I wanted to write a bit of a companion piece, in case you didn’t want to look at that, and just wanted to know what my favorites in order were, or if you wanted more detail on what I think of these albums. I won’t waste time, let’s dig into the honorable mentions first, and I’m only going to write maybe a sentence or two on these albums, since I don’t want this to be super long. The honorable mentions are in no particular order, either, I don’t rank those, but the top ten will obviously be just that — a top ten.

Spencer Sutherland - In His Mania

This is the newest album on the list, or at least newest that I found, and Spencer Sutherland is what I call a traditional and old fashioned pop artist with modern production, and that’s what his debut album sounds like. It’s incredibly catchy, fun, and grandiose, but also sounds timeless, and he has a killer voice.

Nita Strauss - The Call Of The Void

Guitarist Nita Strauss came out with her second album, and instead of it being purely instrumental, she included a lot of guests in terms of some of the biggest names in hard rock and metal, and this album kicks a lot of ass.

Thy Art Is Murder - Godlike

Controversy aside, the new album from Thy Art Is Murder is an album that sounds like the way I remember deathcore sounding. Not to sound like an old man, but these days, a lot of the genre is about how heavy and brutal you can get, whereas a lot of what I listened to back about 15 years ago is more about just having sick riffs, solos, and killer vocals. This record reminds me of that, and their new vocalist is pretty damn good.

Honey Revenge - Retrovision

This past year was a theme for catchy and fun albums that got my attention, and one of the first ones I found was Honey Revenge’s debut, Retrovision. These guys take 00s pop-rock and add their own flair to it. I really enjoy this album and I’m excited to see where they go from here.

Broadside - Hotel Bleu

Speaking of which, Broadside had a good year with their new album, and second album with Sharptone, but they took their sound into a mixture of pop-rock, 80s pop, and pop-punk. The album is pretty damn good, and has some of my favorite cuts of the year, but it does lose me a bit with how off the wall it can get. It doesn’t flow as well as it should, but the styles they utilize here are pretty good.

Blackbraid - Blackbraid II

I’ll be honest, folks — I haven’t gotten that metal for the majority of 2023. It’s not that it was bad, and like I said in my piece with Jake, I just didn’t find enough that I really connected with. There were a few exceptions, including Thy Art Is Murder’s latest, but Blackbraid’s second album, aptly titled Blackbraid II is a great mix of black metal, indigenous music, and even some hints of thrash and traditional heavy metal.

Wayfarer - American Gothic

My other favorite black metal album of this year is the new Wayfarer album, American Gothic, and if you wanted an album that takes country, Americana, and black metal, as well as lyricism about the Wild West and the realistic history of the time and region, you’ll love this.

Boys Like Girls - Sunday At Foxwoods

Boys Like Girls are back with their first album in 11 years, give or take, and it’s a good 80s-inspired album that has some slick hooks and reflects a lot more of lead vocalist and songwriter Martin Johnson’s project The Night Game. If you enjoyed that project, you’re sure to enjoy this one.

The Electric Mayhem - S/T

The Muppets had a pretty good year in 2023, especially with The Muppets Mayhem on Disney+, but the band released their debut “album” injunction with the show, and it’s a good little covers album (with a few originals in the mix) performed by the Electric Mayhem, and what’s great about this album is that it feels as though it’s performed by the actual band and not the performers of the characters along with session musicians. This album is just a bunch of fun all around.

Aesop Rock - Integrated Tech Solutions

I hadn’t listened to hip-hop much of 2023, but if there’s one album that I wanted to hear, it’s Aesop Rock’s Integrated Tech Solutions. This is a record that shows that Aes has nothing left to prove, as he’s got a relaxed and melodic flow, lyrics that are both insightful and observational, and a concept that doesn’t make much sense on the surface, but if you dig into it, the concept works a lot better.

Spiritbox - The Fear Of Fear

Spiritbox are back after two years, at least if you don’t count their Rotoscope EP from last year, but they put out a new EP entitled The Fear Of Fear. It’s a great EP that takes elements of their previous projects and combines it all together to make for a relatively short but engaging experience that is sure to leave fans wanting more.

Archetypes Collide - S/T

Archetypes Collide is a metalcore band that has a lot in common with bands like Linkin Park, Bring Me The Horizon, and other metalcore / alt-metal bands, especially ones with a pop sensibility like, because they have elements from a lot of different styles and put it all into a blender. This record is a ton of fun, despite not having much of a unique identity. If anything, hopefully their next album throws some more unique ideas into the mix.

Wind Walkers - What If I Break?

Wind Walkers is a band that Jake showed me, actually, and these guys follow in the same footsteps, although their new album (and first in five years) What If I Break is a generic record that does what it does well, and that’s kind of about it, although it does sound really nice and fans of this style should enjoy this quite a bit.

Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific

Cannibal Corpse released a new album this year, and it was a hell of a good time. Chaos Horrific is the name of it, and this record is more or less what we’ve gotten before, but this record has a lot of passion, fury, and fire in it that I can’t help but enjoy quite a lot. Cannibal Corpse is one of the first metal bands I ever got into, and it feels fitting to put it onto my list, even if it’s the honorable mentions.

Caskets - Reflections

The last honorable mention I’ve got is from another band in the post-hardcore vein that has a pop sensibility, and their second album, Reflections, sort of dials down on the R&B elements of their sound, but the pop elements are still there in full force and they rule.

That’s all the honorable mentions I got, so let’s get into the meat of the list. I don’t want to go into too much detail, because I already did in Jake and I’s piece, but I still wanted to talk about these albums in one way or another.

10: Tyler Childers - Rustin’ In The Rain

Country has a bit of theme on my list this year, and the first album on my list is Tyler Childers’ Rustin’ In The Rain. This record is a nice nostalgic-sounding album that reminds me of a lot of the 1950s and the 1960s. Childers himself even said that this album was his idea of him auditioning for Elvis Presley, and it works quite well. I came back to this record quite a lot, because of how catchy and nostalgic it was.

9: Paramore - This Is Why

Paramore came back after a six-year hiatus, and they changed their style yet again by turning into a post-punk band and it sounds great. A few songs don’t do as much for me compared to the rest, hence why it’s lower, but the stuff that’s great is truly fantastic. If there’s one band that can pull off reinvention, it’s Paramore.

8: The Maine - S/T

The Maine dropping a really solid album wasn’t on my bingo card in 2023, but here we are. Their self-titled album from last year was a slick and catchy slice of 80s pop-rock that worked wonders for me. This record is my favorite of the bunch with this similar sound, including the new Honey Revenge, Broadside, and Boys Like Girls albums.

7: Seth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies - We Wish You The Merriest

A Christmas album in my top ten of the year? Say it isn’t so, but indeed, it is. I really enjoyed this record when it dropped in November, but I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit the last couple months. I’ve been playing a bit of Christmas music, and this is the album on the rotation. I wrote a full length review of this, so if you want to see what I thought of that album in more detail, check that out, but I do really enjoy this album, nonetheless.

6: Colter Wall - Little Songs

One of my other favorite country albums this year was the new Colter Wall record, Little Songs. Another nostalgic sounding album, this one worked more so for me, because of its lyrical content and Wall’s deep baritone. I absolutely love the sound of his voice, and how unique it is, but this record feels like it came right out of 1955 in all the best ways.

5: Beartooth - The Surface

Alright, top five time, and in that spot is Beartooth’s The Surfqce. An album that is both heavy and optimistic, I love this album and how it came out. I’ve been a fan of Beartooth for the last few years, and their last couple of albums where they’ve gone into more hard rock and pop sensibilities have worked wonders for me. This record is no exception, as it’s heavy and catchy. Hardy makes an appearance, too, and for as much flack as his last album got from a lot of online critics (the album, The Mockingbird & The Crow, isn’t thaaaaaat bad, but it’s fine), he does great here. This record is a whole lot of fun, though, and I’ve been playing it quite a lot throughout the year.

4: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Weathervanes

Jason Isbell’s latest record is a behemoth of a record, as its lyricism is some of the best I’ve heard all year. Isbell’s vocals are the some of the best I’ve heard all year, too, but this record is some of the best Americana, country, and heartland-rock I’ve heard all year, too. This record gives every band member a chance to breathe, but every song is potentially the best song on the record. This album isn’t as higher, only because the top three on my list are more so personal for me, whereas this isn’t a personal one for me, although a lot of stuff on this record is very poignant and insightful. A lot of very relevant topics are brought up here, including addiction, abortion, school shootings, and racism, but it’s done so in an interesting way.

3: Zach Bryan - S/T

My top three this year were no contest. Zach Bryan’s self-titled is an album that caught me by surprise; this record is such a personal yet insightful look at someone’s mental and emotional state, but this record is wonderful. It’s a bit long, clocking in at around an hour, and a few songs feel like filler, but for the most part, this record is gorgeous. Bryan’s voice is utterly fantastic, and his lyricism is unmatched. These songs are some of the best of his career, too, and I’m so glad that a few of these songs were hits, even if they ended up being minor hits.

2: Metallica - 72 Seasons

For my top two albums of the year, these are albums that mean a lot to me, because of the bands that put them out and what they represent. The first one is Metallica’s new album, and their first in seven years, 72 Seasons, but this record is important to me because Metallica is the first metal band I ever got into a decade ago this year. I’ve been able to experience two Metallica albums live since they came out, this being one of them, and I’m also a lot older now. This is a great example of album where the band can do whatever they want, and they really do that by taking on multiple styles in this record. Metallica is the biggest metal band, if not the biggest band period, in the world, so they can truly do whatever they want.

1: Fall Out Boy - So Much (For) Stardust

This was a no-brainer — my album of the year is Fall Out Boy’s latest. They’re not only my favorite band, but they really hold a special place in my heart. This record is a long time coming, too; this is their first album in five years, and they went back to basics with So Much (For) Stardust, ultimately looking back to the past but also thinking forward. I don’t want to talk about this record too much, as I wrote extensively about it when it came out, and since then, but this record is a monumental one. It’s good to have Fall Out Boy back, especially with this new album.

Cheers to 2023, folks, let’s see what 2024 brings.

[cyarsk52-20]

Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, George Michael, and More: Here Are the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees The outlaw legend, the rap queen, and few of this year’s inductees will perform at the ceremony, which takes place on November 3 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Read in Apple Music: https://apple.news/AB90kvpQXSA2fEnSoLwl1hg

Shared from Apple News

2023 ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME

Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, George Michael, and More: Here Are the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

The outlaw legend, the rap queen, and few of this year’s inductees will perform at the ceremony, which takes place on November 3 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2023 inductees, which include a classic Motown act, a reclusive post-punk goddess, a militant agitprop alt-rock band, and, finally, a 90-year-old country and pop-culture titan. Willie Nelson, George Michael, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners, and Kate Bush will all officially join the institution and receive their well-deserved honors as part of the induction ceremony at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on November 3.

In addition to these incredible talents, the Hall of Fame will also highlight several musicians and industry champions with additional accolades. The recipients of this year’s Musical Excellence Awards—for artists, musicians, songwriters, and producers whose originality and influence have had a dramatic impact on music—are the reigning Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan; prolific songwriter and longtime Elton John musical partner Bernie Taupin; and Al Kooper, the renowned multi-instrumentalist, producer, Bob Dylan collaborator, and Lynyrd Skynyrd discoverer. Hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc and influential guitarist Link Wray will each receive the Musical Influence Award, designated for artists whose style has directly influenced, inspired, and evolved rock ’n’ roll and music impacting youth culture. The Ahmet Ertegun Award, a distinction for non-performing industry professionals, will posthumously honor Soul Traincreator and TV host and producer Don Cornelius, who passed away in 2012.

Explore essential tracks from some of the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees below, and tune in to our live broadcast on Apple Music 1, where Apple Music radio hosts Ebro Darden, Rebecca Judd, Matt Wilkinson, Brooke Reese, and Kelleigh Bannen will be joined by Crow and Taupin to discuss their achievements and this year’s celebration.

Willie Nelson

THE BRAIDS, THE smile, the trusty guitar named Trigger, the impassioned activism, the unabashed passion for all things cannabis (and his song about it, “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”)—there’s a lot to love about Willie Nelson, and fans all over the world can give you several reasons why they’re still showing up to see him sing well into his 90th year. He may have gotten his start singing country western tunes in the ’50s and ’60s, but Nelson hit his stride in the ’70s when he bucked the conventions of Nashville’s Music Row to make the stripped-down country music hewanted to make, the sort that sounded much more at home in a crowded honky-tonk than the Grand Ole Opry. Then, he found kindred spirits in Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and other artists who became the founding fathers of outlaw country, and now he’s mentored and played with younger generations of musicians who keep the outlaw spirit alive in their own way, like Margo Price, Jason Isbell, and Sturgill Simpson. At 90, Nelson’s voice may be a bit more gravelly than it was in his Red Headed Stranger days, but he’s still strumming Trigger with abandon any chance he gets.

George Michael

GEORGE MICHAEL ROSE to fame in the ’80s as one half of the feather-haired duo Wham!, who churned out some of the catchiest radio hits of the decade—namely the jubilant “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” the bittersweet modern holiday ballad “Last Christmas,” and “Careless Whisper,” the sultry single possessing one of the most memorable sax solos of all time. His velvety tenor, boyish charm, and melodic instincts as a songwriter secured his pop star status in Wham!’s heyday, but Michael’s star went supernova with 1987’s Faith, his debut solo album. The title track is one of his eight singles to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; the other seven include his duet with Aretha Franklin, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” and a version of Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” that features both Michael and the Rocket Man himself. In 1998, Michael came out as a gay man, and he was a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and HIV/AIDS prevention efforts throughout his career. Fans were stunned when Michael passed away unexpectedly in 2016 at the age of 53, but his songs—and his legacy—endure.

Missy Elliott

THERE HAS NOT been a woman rapper in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame—until now. “Get Ur Freak On,” “Pass That Dutch,” “Lose Control,” “Work It”—there was a stretch in the early 2000s when Missy Elliott’s beats and bars were inescapable. Her music videos—especially the clip for 1997’s breakthrough single “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” in which she transformed a trash bag into an unforgettable ensemble—were in constant rotation on MTV. Her songs were omnipresent on radio, and earned her a collection of the industry’s highest accolades (including four Grammys and several MTV Video Music Awards). She’s an exceptional rapper, as well as a production genius and lauded songwriter (and one who’s been officially honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame). She’s collaborated with some of the most beloved hitmakers in R&B and pop at large: Aaliyah, Jennifer Hudson, Jazmine Sullivan, Ciara, Nelly Furtado, and many more. In short: Missy Elliott is, and has been, a force to be reckoned with, an MC who can do it all with infinite crossover appeal. And now, to top it all off, she’s making history.

Sheryl Crow

IT’S BEEN NEARLY 30 years since the release of Tuesday Night Music Club, Sheryl Crow’s debut album, and yet its tunes—“All I Wanna Do,” her first single; the frank and fed-up “Can’t Cry Anymore”; the sparse and stunning “Strong Enough”—remain some of the most beloved in her catalog. That says something, given how busy Crow’s been since: 10 albums followed, as have several songs as beloved as that first batch, from the snarling “If It Makes You Happy” and the profound “Everyday Is a Winding Road” to “Prove You Wrong,” her country-rock anthem featuring Stevie Nicks and Maren Morris. Her writing has always drawn as much from classic rock and folk as it has the licks and conventions of country, and as such she’s carved out a place entirely her own with one foot firmly planted in each genre: She’s as much at home in the studio with Chris Stapleton as she is with Justin Timberlake, and her songwriting chops—not to mention her crystal-clear voice—soar beyond the confines of genre. 

Rage Against the Machine

RAGE AGAINST THE Machine has been previously nominated for entry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame four times, but the fifth time’s the charm for the righteously deafening rock mainstays. Since forming in 1991, the four-piece has made heavy protest tracks their calling card, with 1992’s unfiltered breakout track “Killing in the Name” and subsequent singles—like “Bulls on Parade,” “Guerilla Radio,” and “Sleep Now in the Fire”—all speaking truth to power while shining a glaring spotlight on the myth of American exceptionalism. Read Rage Against the Machine’s statement regarding their induction in full here:

It is a surprising trajectory for us to be welcomed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 1991 four people in Los Angeles formed a musical group to stand where sound and solidarity intersect. We called ourselves Rage Against the Machine.  A band who is as well known for our albums as we are for our fierce opposition to the US war machine, white supremacy and exploitation  A band whose songs drove alternative radio to new heights while right wing media companies tried to purge every song we ever wrote from the airwaves A band who shut down the NY Stock Exchange for the first time in its history A band who was targeted by police organizations who attempted to ban us from sold out arenas for raising our voices to free Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners  A band who sued the US State Department for their fascist practice of using our music to torture innocent men in Guantanamo Bay A band who wrote rebel songs in an abandoned, industrial warehouse in the valley that would later dethrone Simon Cowell ’s X-Factor pop monopoly to occupy the number 1 spot on the UK charts and have the most downloaded song in UK history  A band who funded and organized delegations to stand with Mexican rebel Zapatista communities to expose the Mexican government’s war on indigenous people A band whose experimentation in fusing punk, rock and hip-hop became a genre of its own Many thanks to the Hall of Fame for recognizing the music and the mission of Rage Against the Machine. We are grateful to all of the passionate fans, the many talented co-conspirators we’ve worked with and all the activists, organizers, rebels and revolutionaries past, present and future who have inspired our art.

The Spinners

“I’LL BE AROUND,” the immediately recognizable hit from R&B and soul crooners The Spinners, is a groove with with a unique cultural footprint. You can’t hear the subtle drums and telltale chords without humming the chorus in your head: “Whenever you call me, I’ll be there/Whenever you want me, I’ll be there/Whenever you need me, I’ll be there/I’ll be around.” The Spinners are one of a few Detroit soul groups who truly found their groove by leaving Motown. On that label they hit with Stevie Wonder’s “It’s a Shame,” but it took a hook-up with Philadelphia maestro Thom Bell to bring out their best. Bell’s smooth and sumptuous productions were the blueprint for Philly soul, and The Spinners’ Philippe Wynne had the voice to match. Lightly funkified love ballads became their trademark, but they could also draw from gospel on “Mighty Love” and do social commentary on “Ghetto Child.”

Kate Bush

THOUGH FANS OF Kate Bush have been blasting Hounds of Love and the rest of her greatest hits for decades, the reclusive British singer-songwriter saw an unlikely resurgence when her 1985 single “Running Up That Hill” was worked into the supernatural plot of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things last summer. It’s hardly surprising that younger audiences connected with its driving drums and synth-laden, discordant chorus, nor is it shocking that Bush’s robust voice continues to stun listeners when they encounter her signature song—or “This Woman’s Work,” or “Wuthering Heights,” or anything else in her repertoire—for the first time. The list of famous Bush fans is long, and it counts everyone from Adele and Björk to ROSALÍA and Solange, not to mention several artists previously honored by the Rock Hall (like Stevie Nicks, who considered recording her own version of “Running Up That Hill” before realizing she “can’t really do that song better than Kate Bush did”). 

Sent from my iPhone

Congratulations 🍾🎉🎊🎈 to this year’s 2023 rock and roll hall of fame!

⭐️George Michael

⭐️Sheryl Crow

⭐️Willie Nelson

⭐️Missy Elliott

⭐️Kate Bush

⭐️The Spinners

⭐️Rage Against the Machine

⭐️Chaka Khan

⭐️Al Kooper

⭐️Bernie Taupin

⭐️DJ Kool Herc

⭐️Link Wray

⭐️Don Cornelius

[checkthreetimes]

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 — 𝗔 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗨𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀

The world of rock music has lost one of its brightest stars. Steve Harwell, the lead singer and co-founder of Smash Mouth, passed away on Monday, September 4, 2023, at his home in Boise, Idaho. He was 56 years old. His manager confirmed that he died of liver failure, a condition that he had been battling for a long time. Harwell was not only a talented singer, but also a pop culture icon. He was famous for his distinctive voice and charismatic personality, as well as his hit songs such as "All Star" and "I'm a Believer". He had an amazing career in the music industry, spanning over three decades and selling over 10 million albums worldwide with his band. He also had a colorful life, marked by his passion for music.

He was born on January 9, 1967, in Santa Clara, California. He grew up in San Jose, where he developed an interest in rap music and joined a group called F.O.S. (Freedom of Speech). He later switched to rock music and formed Smash Mouth with his friend Kevin Coleman, along with Greg Camp and Paul De Lisle. Harwell was influenced by various artists, such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Clash.

Harwell and his bandmates started their career in 1994, playing at local venues and festivals. They caught the attention of a radio station that played their demo songs, which led to a record deal with Interscope Records. Their debut album, Fush Yu Mang , was released in 1997 and featured their first hit single, "Walkin' on the Sun", which reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number two on the Hot 100 chart.

Their second album, Astro Lounge , was released in 1999 and became their most successful album to date. It contained their signature song, "All Star", which topped the charts in several countries and became a pop culture phenomenon. The song was featured in the soundtrack of the animated film Shrek , as well as other movies and TV shows. It also earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. Another popular song from the album was "I'm a Believer", a cover of The Monkees' classic song, which also appeared in Shrek .

Smash Mouth continued to release more albums in the 2000s and 2010s, such as Get the Picture? , The Gift of Rock , Summer Girl , Magic , and Rise and Shine . They experimented with different genres and styles, such as ska punk, reggae, country, and disco. They also collaborated with other artists, such as Baha Men, Eddie Money, J.D. McPherson, and Caravan Palace. Harwell also pursued a solo career, releasing two songs for the animated film Pororo: The Racing Adventure in 2013.

Harwell received many accolades and achievements for his music career. He won several awards from MTV, Billboard , Teen Choice , ASCAP , BMI , and others. He also performed at various events and venues around the world, such as the Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show, the World Series , the Olympic Games , Disneyland , and Carnegie Hall . He also appeared on several TV shows and movies, such as The Surreal Life , Rat Race , American Idol , Dancing with the Stars , Family Guy , Kim Possible , Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated , and SpongeBob SquarePants .

He died on September 4, 2023, after being in hospice care for final stage chronic liver failure. He is survived by his wife Michelle Laroque Harwell.

Harwell will be remembered as one of the most influential singers of his generation.

[bdzonthareel]

Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse

Spider-Man is pretty ubiquitous in the cultural zeitgeist, multiple animated series, a couple of really good video games, and myriad of successful films. And the one that really blew people (myself included) away was Into The Spiderverse, which was nothing short of a masterpiece! Animation that blew the audience away, a dope soundtrack and a fantastic story that was easy to follow. So Sony Animation really had a lot to live up to with their follow up Across The Spiderverse.

Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse takes place a year after the events of Into The Spiderverse. Miles Morales has been living his best Spider-Life, in spite of juggling his other responsibilities. When he is reunited with Spider-Gwen and Peter B. Parker, who introduce him the enigmatic leader of a secret society of Spideys, Miguel O’Hara aka Spider-Man 2099; who tell Miles of a threat that might destroy the entire multiverse.

The first thing entering my head was how much fun that I had watching this film, truly a work of art. But narratively this was a disjointed mess.

I can’t sing the praises of these visuals enough, Directors Joaquin Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justice K. Thompson built off and very strong foundation, showcasing a use of colors, and art styles that I haven’t seen since the original run of Samurai Jack.

Vocal performances were amazing, Shamiek Moore does miss a beat returning to the role Miles Morales, same goes for Hailey Steinfeld, and Jake Johnson as returning Spider-people.

Newcomers Oscar Isaac (2099), and Issa Rae (Spider-Woman) deliver a level of maturity as mentors to the Spider Society.

But Daniel Kaluya as Hobie Brown was everything I dreamed he be in this role, his Punk Rock/Chav energy was on full display and I am so here for it! Jason Schwartzman was beautifully awkward as originally c-tier villain The Spot. And I am almost certain that I heard him make a Wes Anderson reference.

A fast paced score, the matched the film’s kinetic visually. The soundtrack was a certified bop, with a few of my favorites by the likes of Rap legend Rakim.

But pacing is part of this movie’s problem, there moments that hit me with information overload and the amount of characters that will be important in the next film popping in an out made certain bits easy to forget if your neurodivergent like myself.

The writing team of Lord and Miller, as well as David Callaham, clearly had some big shoes to film with story and what they did was very ambitious, but I feel like they forgot that less is more.

So there is term in media known as sequelitis, and it this movie suffers from it, does that make it bad film? Absolutely not! But the problem is that movie does what John Wick 3 did, sequel baiting for 2024’s Beyond The Spiderverse. There was so much set up, that I was worried that this movie was trying to give Avengers Endgame a run for its money and at 2.5 hours it almost did!

I’m so glad I got to see this world again and I will be having second helping. But I would be remised to not point out the film’s very tiny list of flaws.

See you beyond the spiderverse, true believers!

I give Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse a 4 out of 5.

[happi-tree]

Hi fashion flower! Sending good and cozy vibes over to you :] Was thinking about your swiftli idol au that you posted about recently and wanted to ask if you had any specific fashion or color palettes in mind for the teen's idol group Really fun au concept <3 and was just curious if you had anything in mind for that part :D

Hi, Lessie!!! Hope you're doing well, lovebird <3 First off, thank you so much for the interest - I'm really glad you enjoy it so far 🥰🥰🥰 And secondly, apologies for taking a bit on this one but I ended up throwing together a very rough Pinterest board for this au (very Normalcore of me ik ik). I absolutely have some colors and fashion things in mind for them!

What gives me the most trouble with this au is that the teens each have such a distinctive style to me that it's a bit difficult to form something cohesive for them as a group. I definitely think Taylor and Scary lean a bit more vampiric in terms of costuming - frills and leather for both of them, and the fact that I tend to lean towards darker color palettes for both of them (Scary ventures more into pop-punk territory with her outfits, while Taylor goes for an almost futuristic sort of vibe in some cases). Link and Normal's outfits lean more sporty or casual, and I tend to think of them in lighter colors (mainly neutrals and oranges and yellows for Link; Normal gets lots of blues and pinks). I also gave Normal a few different fun suit options, since he canonically gets into menswear in his early to mid-twenties (which is around the time this au would take place), and I gave Link a few cute crop tops bc I simply think he'd look good in them :D

As for what concepts and outfits they wear when performing as a group,,, i haven't quite fleshed that bit out yet! 😅 I do think that some of the outfits in their different sections have the potential to work together, but definitely not all aksbfkabfshvfs.

Again, thanks so much for the ask!!! 💗💗💗 Hope you enjoy hehe