#would sound good on an album of good Real songs as like a little tone shift or break. but instead they just made a whole album of them

[miami2k17]

MY GOD ITS SO TERRIBLE

[veryobsessedchild]

‼️Yap Alert‼️ Idk if this is a hot take, but whatever. So when it comes to musical theatre, I would much rather take great acting over like perfect singing during the songs. Like yes, I want the singing to be good, and you probably do have to be a decent singer to be able to act good while singing, but I’d rather listen to an average singer act their heart out while doing it than a professional trying to sound perfect.

I was thinking about this because I decided to watch a video of a live performance of Dead Mom from Beetlejuice the Musical and I ended up liking it better than the album version. In the live version it (obviously) doesn’t sound like it was recorded in a studio and so the quality of the singing wouldn’t be as good, like there were points where you could tell that she was kinda out of breath and points where she might be quieter than the album version. But where the album version gained in quality, it lost in acting. In the live version I watched, there were more “crys”, and one thing she did a lot was that she might end a note by kind of screaming, (idk how to explain it) and even though all of that makes the song sound less I guess, America’s Got Talent worthy??? Idk? It ended up feeling much more raw, like you could hear the emotions behind all of it. To me it’s kinda like, the emotions that she’s feeling during the song are messy so therefor the song being messy as well just makes sense.

Idek what I’m yapping about here but hopefully it makes sense. I’d also like to say that I’m not hating on the album version, I love it, and I know that it makes sense to tone down the acting for albums.

Heere’s the bmc part of this yapfest:

So a lot of the reason that people don’t like Will Roland’s Jeremy is because he “sings everything wrong” or something, and I will admit that I was kind of skeptical when I first listened to the bmc broadway album, but now I love it. As I said before, I prefer the acting being great over the singing being great, so when Will Roland makes all those goofy noises, I actually enjoy it because it adds to his character. Although I’ll say that it can feel a little out of place during some songs, and I can see why some people might not like it. One song that comes to mind where the goofy noises do add a lot to the song is Loser Geek Whatever. I think that those “I want” type songs like LGW and Dead Mom are the best to be sung…weirdly? Idk? I don’t wanna repeat myself, but, the emotions that the characters are feeling are messy so the songs being sung messily makes sense.

TLDR: It’s kinda cool when actors do weird things when singing because it makes the song feel more real.

Alright, yapfest over:3

[rikiws]

GANG!

I have one of those silly little moot thingies!

(No pressure you don't have to do it if you don't wanna!)

But! What music you automatically assume your moots listen to😼😼

To me, I imagine you fw brent faiyaz or the arctic monkeys, maybe some Daniel Caesar

Dude how did you know that... I fw Daniel Caesar and Brent Faiyaz HEAVY dawg are you psychic 😨 (Kendrick and Don Toliver TOO THE ENTIRE DAMN. ALBUM SIGH... ALSO KESHI I like too many artists this yap won't end so let me just stop myself) I never really got into the Arctic Monkeys but I still think they're awesome musicians, even if the music doesn't hit for me that much personally

I love this game though thank you for this, forgive me if I get any of you guys horribly wrong I'm a terrible judge of character...also I really like to talk about music so best believe I'll be listing a few songs out and explaining them too, very sorry if its a lot to look at 😭

@sugariricookies : you first ofc. I'd say you'd be into something fresh, I don't want to say cutesy bc its not exactly that but close yk. Beabadoobee FOR SURE and New Jeans too. Glue Song - Beabadoobee : its very quiet coffeeshop meetcute with a ton of flowers involved ykyk Melting - Kali Uchis : honestly any song by her bc CMON. I think it matches what you're like really well, if you don't listen to her much How Sweet - New Jeans : can we bfr this song is so heart emoji and you're also very heart emoji are we making sense

@sungbyhoon : Idk bit I feel like you'd be into something a little darker...? Not maybe something like Alt or Grunge, actually maybe yes if its something like Cade Clair or something, but more like Cigarettes After Sex and Chase Atlantic. Also very chill but less upbeat and more mature sounding I'm so sorry if this makes no sense, Another thing I feel like you'd also judge songs not just on the melody but also the lyrics so: Sunsetz - Cigarettes After Sex : Any song by them man bc they're lyrics are basically always so 🙏🙏🙏 Heavenly - Cigarettes After Sex : "Tell me it's love, tell me it's real" MAN 😢😢 LET ME SEE YA MOVE! - Lumi Athena & Cade Clair : HEAR ME OUT HEAR ME OUT IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD OKAY I'M NOT PROJECTING (I might be)

@copyhanni : hey...😼😼 okay but you're giving me Chase Atlantic, The Weeknd, and Tory Lanez full stop. You'd be more chill but also upbeat?? but like less cute and more roadtrip-with-your-headphones-in-esque: Out of My Mood - brian mantra & gate 문 : I think indie would be up your alley too, esp brian mantra I love him sm Bloody Hands - brian mantra : another one, his songs don't have too much going on I think instrumentally and his tone is AWESOME it's just 🔥🔥 Swim - Chase Atlantic : need I say more the synth and drums are EVERYTHING.

@suneng : okay just because you said you like Sunflower I want to think that you really like Metro and Swae Lee (bc SAME.) Also these songs imo seem really nice to study to, and to me you come off as an academic in a way so I think this fits (STEM girlies 🙏): Too Many Nights - Metro Boomin, Future & Don Toliver : the bass the BASS god I love the bass SO MUCH. I remember being a trap hater when I was like 11 chat I was WRONG. I think you'd fw this honestly I'd say its pretty easy to like and super catchy and just very chill Love me Harder - WOODZ : this is a very bassy music selection I'm gonna be so embarrassed if you don't like bass 😭😭 but the guitar here was life changing I think you'd love this Link up - Metro Boomin, Don Toliver, wow there's a lot of people involved in this one hold up: Afrobeats/Raeggaeton I'm not very sure but its really good sigh...honestly I think any spider-verse soundtracks you'd probably love.

@stariikis : not sure what it is but imo you'd be into maybe something softer ykwim? Def have wave to earth on your playlist somewhere there has to be 👊👊 Kind of similar to riri I'd say something a little calmer ykyk: daisy. - wave to earth : such a good song wave to earth man GOODNESS. I think this is such a perfect song for the vibes you give off The Long Drive - tv room : okay tv room is a little eccentric with the hyperpop and everything but I think this is one of the tamer songs from him, much slower tempo than his usual ones but still super upbeat in a way An Art Gallery Could Never Be As Unique As You - mrld : long name alert 🚨🚨 jokes aside I think you'd be into songs with less synthetic instruments in it instead and this song is perfect for that

@nishiriki : okay I really had to squeeze out the brain juice for this one and its gonna be such a huge stretch but hear me out you sound like you like rap,,, maybe nothing too dark lyrics wise like JID but something sort of playful-ish... okay let me just get the songs out I think i'll make more sense then: Two Tens - Cordae & Anderson .Paak : see like something a little silly but still nice to listen to, like the kind of songs you'd play in the car with your friends, otw to some random place to hang out LOVE. - Kendrick Lamar : again, the entire damn album still has me in a chokehold to this day there's no way. This is def my favourite from them all though (and a huge obsession of mine rn) and I think it matches you really well PICK IT UP - Famous Dex & A$ap Rocky : I was obsessed with this like a few years ago and then that dance challenge came and I got obsessed again. I don't think I've ever seen so many interludes in just one song before and it's so well done like its so goofy oml, no but I'd think you'd be into rap that's a little more upbeat, less serious ykyk ++Blueberry Faygo honorable mention here

chat I may have yapped just a tiny bit...okay but I fs missed a few moots since I haven't interacted with them enough to justify the music they'd be into I think 😭 nah but if you want me to write you in too please let me know bc I'd be more than happy to :)

[firefly--bright]

Heaven

jean kirstein x gender neutral!reader. modern au!

warnings : none!

a/n : i know I promised chapters of belonging and the new girl fic but. i have no excuse i started college and have been SO busy between socialising like a Normal Human Being and assignments I literally have no time but I heard this one (1) song from mitski's new album and yeah. that's it. thats all. maybe the real fics were the mitski songs we heard along the way. i hope you guys enjoyed this!

inspired by this song by mitski!

taglist : @holding-infinity-and-a-book @mrsnobodynobody

masterlist is in pinned post! ✿ taglist is open! ✿ requests for jean kirstein and Reiner Braun are open! ✿

"so what you're saying is you'd rather kill a man with your bare hands than-" 

"no! that's what you heard. i simply said something that's completely up to interpretation," you say, laughing. Jean's own laughter rings out in your bedroom, his presence creating a dip in your mattress. 

"totally not what you were saying," he argues, still with a smile laced into his tone. you heard it, even if you were mockingly rolling your eyes. 

"im simply the artist, jean, you can percieve what I said in any way. not my fault-" you say, cutting yourself short with a laugh as he scoffed loudly, "not my fault you want to see it in a negative light." 

"yeah, yeah, you and your words. you're gaslighting me right now, I hope you know." he says, crossing his arms infront of his chest. you laugh softly again, shaking your head.

"oh, look who's using his big words now." 

he laughs at that, and you swear your heart almost gives out. making people laugh is an achievement in your own terms, but somehow, making jean laugh sounds prettier. it sounds beautiful, a sound meant only for your ears to listen to. he doesn't cover his mouth when he laughs, unashamed of laughing at your jokes, his shoulders shaking with the weightlessness of being with you. 

there was a low warmth in your room. between the illumination of your soft orange desk lamp and Jean's imperial warmth beside you - your belly felt full and aching with laughter. you supposed thats how you always felt with him, full and light and aching just a little - enough for you to appreciate it. jean wipes the corner of his eye with his index finger, an action you take as a win. you hoped his own belly ached as much as yours did. if he didn't love you back, atleast he'd be in the same boat as you, and maybe that would be better than being in love with you. less of a liability, more of a space, the same weightlessness. 

the end of his laughter forces a pause in your conversation-turned-banter. and for the first time, you didn't feel the need to fill in the spaces. the large gaps were already filled with concrete - the comfortability of each other. maybe that was better than being in love with you, less of a trap, more of an understanding. 

you lay your head on his shoulder with a small smile still on your face. he lets you, as if your warmth was meant to entangle with his own, as if his heat was less of a home to him than yours was. he inhales, something you can feel, before he starts his sentence. his arms are still crossed over his chest, his hands laying on his biceps, his thumb doing the small and endearing thing it does; stretching away from his palm, almost towards you, like he's reaching out, fidgeting. his thumb taps on his bicep before he starts speaking. you close your eyes, content. 

"yknow, when I was small, like 5 yeard old, I wanna say? my mom would have to pry me away from the neighbour's dog. his name was leo-" you stifle a laugh at that. all dogs are named Leo, somehow, you want to say, but you let him continue. "and he was this mixed breed little guy. a beaglier, and he would always wag his tail when he saw me. i didn't," he says, pausing a little, and you can almost visualise how he's talking as if you aren't sitting side by side but facing him entirely. it's a pause of quiet acceptance, "i didn't have that many good friends, if any, so I would cry everytime my mom told me to go play with the other guys. but as soon as I saw Leo my day would be better. i loved that dog. even before moving away for college, i knew i'd miss him more than any of the people I was friends with." you lace your fidgeting hand with his. they're warm and calloused and accepting, almost eagerly. and then he's quiet again, and you're smiling again, but it's only again because it sounded pathetic to say you never stopped smiling with him. 

maybe it wasn't pathetic, just more vulnerable. you hum as an agreement to his story, letting him know that even if your eyes were closed, your ears were open, hanging onto every single word escaping his lips. his head rests ontop of yours, and you can feel his voice now. 

"i didn't think I'd ever call this place a home, if I'm being honest." he says. you want to ask him what he meant, but you let him continue after he stops. and maybe that's what unsaid love is, you think, letting someone continue their ranting even when you have so much to say and agree and add on to, because you want to find any and all opportunities to relate to them, because now they know you do. now they - now jean - knows that you understand and agree and want to add on to whatever he says. he continues, his voice soft and deep and warm and gentle all at once, and you would've wondered how his voice did that if he hadn't continued. 

"but...i don't know. somehow, this... you, feel more like home than my childhood bedroom does, yaknow?" he says. 

you know what he means. you agree. you want to add on to his words, but you can't because your throat has dried up, the moisture leaving your mouth and going straight to your eyes. you sigh out a small exhale, and it says more than you ever could. and jean knows what it means. he agrees. he wants to add onto. 

but he doesn't, and neither do you. your interlinked hands do the thing that all human hands do in the sense that you're no better than anyone else in love. in the sense that they squeeze together impossibly tighter, to the point where they ache comfortably. his hand clasps onto yours like your words clasp onto his heart. 

Jean's voice is soothing when he speaks again. at this point he knows the effect he has on you, you're sure he does, because jean is exactly the type of person to tease you for loving him so much despite it all. but he continues to talk not because of the fact that you love him, but because of the fact that he loves you. he continues to talk until your hand becomes loose in his, until your breathing is slowed and relaxed and as beautiful as all the other things you do. 

he smiles after it. his head is still resting on yours and for this moment, for this night, he thinks, he doesn't mind if he wakes up with his back aching after sleeping upright, neck twisted a bit uncomfortably, because being with you is everything but uncomfortable. his back won't ache, and he knows this because loving you aches enough, in the way that makes him appreciate it. less of a liability, more of a comfortable weightlessness of your head on his shoulder, supported by him and his presence. less of a trap, more of an understanding of how much more he'd be willing to endure for you. more of a comfort, instead, of knowing how much you wouldn't put him through, not knowingly.  more of a realization, instead, of how much he loves you. 

in the warm light of your orange desk lamp, jean and your breaths sync, your hands still loosely clamped together, jean swears this is better than whatever he thought love would be. jean swears this is better than any of the love he had dreamt of recieving as a teenager, all the dramatic rom-comness of it all. here, with you, with your warm and gentle and soft voice that had died out because of the safety that came with his presence, he swears this is better than any paradise he could've gone to. 

maybe that's all your love is, he thinks. comfort, limitless, timeless, but maybe your love isnt a word said out loud, isn't something that language can procure.

maybe it's just this. just the dip of your mattress, just the glow of your desk lamp, just the sound of your gentle laughter. 

he loves you. he swears it feels better than any heaven.

[catboylister]

lister bird solo album

IT IS VERY REAL TO ME LETS TALK ABOUT THIS !!! pls be aware im not the best with my music terms, im what you may call a poser or whatever.

during their hiatus when lister is struggling with everything thats happened to him, both in his childhood and with the band. he's given the typical advice from his therapist to write stuff down. at first he thinks it's dumb, but he gets himself a nice leather journal and starts writing anything that comes to mind. long winded rants about things he feels are unfair, talks of shows he's watched, comics he's read, games he's played, and also the odd few pages of lyrics he's written. he starts to really enjoy song writing, and with time he starts to hyper-fixate on his writing and begins composing different melodies along with it.

both rowan and jimmy here him working on it late at night sometimes. rowan is the one who starts telling him he has the skill to turn his work into an album, even if it's just for him and no one else.

drums are still his favourite, always will be, but he sharpens his guitar skills too. its good distraction for him when he needs something to do, as it's something new and not automatic for him. he really has to focus on what he's doing, which takes him away from his own thoughts for a while.

singing is the opposite, he sings when he needs to let himself feel everything in the moment; process it, let himself cry a bit. unlike the arks music, the words are harder to sing along to because it's all written from his own experience. with the lyrics he's written for the band, as much as he's in love with jimmy's voice, hearing the words that are supposed to represent himself from someone else's voice feels wrong, so everything he's written there has been more of a concept. these words are actually his own. it's probably the most accurate representation of his thought process. as he signs, the tone of his voice fluctuates a lot. he goes from softly spoken whispers to harsh words spilling through a clenched jaw.

he produces the entire thing himself. lyrics, voice, guitar, percussion. it's all his own work and he's rightfully proud of himself. and he should be because it sounds beautiful, even with the little imperfections throughout it. he still struggles with everything he's written about, it's not as if it magically fixed him. but it helped him lots, he really feels like he's doing good for himself. in a musical sense, i feel like it would sound like a mix of fires fading into black (holden laurence) and your city gave me asthma (wilbur soot). laurence makes me think of how he'd play, it's quite soft, makes me feel warm. but wilbur makes be think of how his voice might sound, you can really hear the raw emotion in each line. (like that one loosing face demo.) thematically, it would have an overall theme of the loneliness he has felt for years, emotionally isolated from everyone around him. the songs explore different parts of what he's struggled with. unrequited love, uncomfortable conversations, his addiction, pressure put onto him by everyone, his childhood, his assault, the river.

he doesn't publicise it for a long while, not sure if he wants so people to know about this part of him. when he does, he doesn't announce it anywhere, but the fans find it soon enough. a new youtube channel under his name with just one, 27 minuet long video, with a sweet note in the video description, little words of motivation for who ever cared enough to read it. people freak the fuck out, but he just lets them, for a while, it's funny to watch. first the freak out because 'omfg content theres content guys' the 'omg is he leaving the ark what the hell !!!!' but the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. what he doesn't expect though, it people wishing him well and hoping he's okay, as well as people going through similar things saying how comforting it is for someone they look up too let them know their not alone. its the first time he feels a slight connection to the strangers that form his fanbase, in a way, it makes him feel less alone too.

jimmy listens to it himself for the first time, he'd never asked much about it as he knew it was personal. it's the first time he cries over music in a long time. lister sings of things he'd never spoken of to either himself or rowan, while he had a vague idea of some of them, he never knew how much these things really do effect him. after staring at his ceiling for a while to recover, jimmy finds himself in listers room, hugging him tightly. he tells him that hes proud of him, not just for the album, but just for facing everything and still being with them.

[prolibytherium]

I've been listening to your always sunny drawing ost and I've got to say you've some A+ taste in music. And I wanted to ask what your 3 favourites of Peter Gabriel's less popular songs are?

[FROTHING] I feel normal about this question

OK so this is a really hard one because I could not possibly narrow it down to three but I will do my best (also not going to include I/O since that just came out):

Humdrum (I love the musical tone shifts in the song, the way it slowly builds into that ethereal finale, etc)

Darkness (It sounds like a Nine Inch Nails song, the drop into that edgy industrial shit 30 seconds in is phenomenal, "I'm afraid of being mothered with my balls shut in a pen, I'm afraid of loving women and I'm scared of loving men" closest thing he's ever done to making gay music even if that's not the intended meaning, bi suffering yay!!!!)

No Self Control (This was the song that got me into PG for real, because up until then I had only heard stuff off So (which is a good album but probably his most conventional and pop-y work) and hearing this was like "Oh he actually gets a little weird with it". Also Kate Bush backing vocals and Phil Collins on drums is so good here)

Physically incapable of stopping myself from adding more so also 'Lay Your Hands On Me' (best PG love song bar none fuck a 'In Your Eyes'), 'Digging In The Dirt' (I TOLD YOU I TOLD YOU I TOLD YOU I TOLD YOU etc). 'And Through The Wire' and 'Growing Up'. Also just the entirety of Car. I limited this post to one per album because it would probably be three songs from Car if not. Please listen to Car every song on it is incredible (except for 'Excuse Me' which isn't great). I could talk about every song on Car for hours. I love Car.

[dojae-huh]

How can I start to explain my thoughts on Youth? First, Beginning was a perfect start and Dallas Love Filled was the best choice to close the album. The way the songs are placed is exceptional. I agree with the other anon, although Time Machine is a good song, I expect the two of them to have a more “explosive” duet in terms of singing, but sometimes less is more and having Mark in it could have been a decisive factor. For the ballads, Rewind takes the crowd in my opinion, Warmth is probably the least memorable song in the album but still it blends with the other songs and permits DY shine with his technique. The last three songs are so good individually but together, one after another in order works the best. From Little Wave is the best song in the album and knowing the context of its creation makes it ten times better.

All the songs are so Doyoung that you can feel how much he was involved in the process. (As expected for our management Kim). To help with that idea, he gave us the documentary which I really appreciate. Almost all the content he gave us was just him singing and being happy because of it.

I said it in the past that I believe that NCT songs sometimes vocally limit DY and not because of their structure, it’s more about how the producers prefer his tone and that leads DY to believe that singing in a soft or really high tone suits him more which it’s not the case at all. With this album it’s obvious how more comfortable DY is in his range and the progression and effort he puts in his voice. I always listen the album from the first song to the last one and years had passed without me being able to do that.

With Jaehyun it’s really different. As someone who loves R&B and listens to lots of artists in the genre, I was sure it will be my favorite but to my surprise it wasn’t. I should’ve known what kind of route he would take considering the type of artist he recommends/collabs. So that was my mistake. My problem with the album is that it has really good songs like Roses (the most interesting in my opinion and the best) and Can’t get you, but there are songs like Smoke or Easy which doesn’t work for me really well. I can find myself humming to Easy or Completely but I never really played them beside the first day. With Smoke and Flaming Hot Lemon it’s complicated, I hate smoke chorus but it’s catchy. Flaming hot lemon and Roses are totally North America R&B songs but Roses have some interesting vocal parts and Flaming Hot Lemon it’s just plain (it doesn’t take away the fact I listened to it more often that Can’t get you). I can’t say it better than you, it’s a mixtape not an album, it doesn’t feel cohesive. I would’ve preferred to heard more complexity in Jaehyun’s voice but the selection of songs doesn’t have the room to it.

I’ve been feeling for a long time that Jaehyun is stuck and comfortable (in a bad way) in the place he is now with his voice, and again I don’t think it’s just his fault. Maybe I need to make peace with the reality that he really doesn’t want to expand his vocal abilities.

In terms of the promotion I can’t say too much because I didn’t see almost any of the content beside the ones where he was singing.

Doyoung chose songs that were related to the season and the topic, perhaps a vocally stronger duet with Taeyeon didn't fit. It's a popular song with kfans though.

I think even the way Do sings on his solo album is still affected by the constraints of being an idol. He asked his manager and A&R staff whether they preferred a lower or higher key for a song. And all told him that higher sounds better (he disagreed). And he still applied a stylistic colour to his voice, I think?

I see many Jae's fans liking FHL, perhaps the reason lays in the way it is primitive (unassuming, undemanding of real empathy/attention) with stupid but easy to remember lyrics (and understandable for beginner level English speakers as well). I really wonder how much the overstimulation with information online tires the mind and makes people avoid complexity. Take ILLIT's debut song "Magnetic". It's basically a jingle for a game machine. And yet, it really became a hit. Payola or not. (407k streams on Spotify alone)

Sadly, few care about an album being a cohesive entity. Everyone just releases a bunch of songs, believing people will just buy or listen to selected songs separately.

I often hear fans discussing the notion that Jaehyun is comfortable with his range and isn't interested in developing. However, music producers praised him for his knowledge of musical terms and techniques during recordings. Maybe he does take vocal lessons but polishes what he has now withouth extending his range? For sure Jae became much more confident in singing the past few years. And he sings live better than before as well.

[should-know-better]

I put this interview through a translator - it’s a bit clunky in places but readable.

“If things were like when I started, right now I would be a billionaire"

With "One Man Band" (Modern Sky, 23) the one from Liverpool returned this summer to the direct, optimistic and resounding chorus songs he carries in his soul.

Through Zoom Miles Kane sounds exactly like his songs, or more specifically like his latest video, where he spends a great sunny day with his dog on the promenade of Brighton: a sympathetic and unmistakably British euphoria, as contagious as he is unpretentious stains his answers.

It is not that sophistication has not been an integral part of who is still half of The Last Shadow Puppets, but these days it's time to go back to the essentials. That in addition, one thing does not take away the other. In a few days he begins an extensive tour that will take him in March to Spain in an unprecedented format: electric but solo. It will be the 5th in Barcelona (Sala Bóveda), 6 in Bilbao (Kafe Antzokia), 7 in Madrid (Jaguar) and 8 in Valencia (16 Tons). Kane is excited both for the novelty and for returning to our country. And it's nice to talk to him.

We should start by talking about the title of the album and the song of the same name, which is one of the most representative.

Yes, it was the first one I composed for the album. With it I was proving to myself a little that I am good enough, that I am going to lead the way of my own trip, do you understand me? And with a lyric like that I sing about the good times and leave the bad out. It's a pretty positive song that gave me confidence to make the rest of the album.

It is full of a luminous and optimistic energy. What did you have in mind when you started recording it?

Well, exactly that! I fell in love with the guitar again. I was loving playing it again, and I wanted to make an animated rock album. With words that had a meaning, but in a simple way. Put my guitar in front with the catchy lyrics and melodies and look at the plan. That's the heart of my sound, so we got down to work. The idea was to make Miles Kane's ultimate album.

Did you get tired of the guitar, then?

A little yes, before making this album. I think there are times when it can happen to you. I love Motown, soul and that kind of thing. And I love what we do in The Last Shadow Puppets, with all the strings and the woodwind that gives it a rather cinematic air, of a soundtrack. All that freaks me out. The songs have layers, and they end up having a dramatic tone. But I think you can keep the drama in a simpler way. In this case I wanted my guitar to be there. It may not sound so sophisticated, but I think you still have that feeling. And that's what I've tried to do, strip everything, remove all the strings, the pianos and have only guitar, bass, drums and voice.

Do you think people have a hard time making optimistic music? I say it because there is a lot of dark music out there, it seems that it has more prestige.

Well, I write about how I feel. And I think people identify themselves because it's real. I write from my experiences. I'm already looking back at my life, love, friendship or the classic material that I suppose everyone composes on. It's just that. I do it my way, I really tell what is happening to me in every moment. That's what I've always done. I think my best songs come from there.

The second side of the disc is softer and more delicate. Why did you structure it like that?

The album begins with a song called "Troubled Son" but is very animated and heavy. And it ends with a song titled "Scared of Love" and it's just the voice and an acoustic guitar. For me it's the perfect ending of an album: we started very high, kicking the door down. And then I tried to take a trip between those two songs that summarise everything. I think it makes a lot of sense to start like this, then to end with "Scared of Love". It's like starting with the fifth gear and then going down to the first, I don't know if I can explain.

For your new single "Time of Your Life" (song included in a seven-inch that accompanied the special edition of the LP) you have made a great video. It's Brighton, isn't it?

Yes, it's Brighton.

There you are with your dog, enjoying time on the promenade, in the clothing store, eating "fish and chips", that is, enjoying the small pleasures of life. It has caught my attention because we are used to having only the negative, miserable image of your country.

Honestly, all I wanted was to drive to Brighton, spend the day there and take the opportunity to make the video. I took my dog. I wanted it to be very simple. I like the mod atmosphere of Brighton and we combined these ideas without thinking too much. In 3 hours we had recorded the video. Me with my dog, walking. I like fish and chips and I'm a mod, so it's a day in my life. That simple, no nonsense. It's basically what I like.

It's just that many times we tend to wallow in the mud, don't we?

Yes, we all have our moments of depression, don't we? I get it. I have them myself. Of course. It's normal. But it's an animated song, and I wanted a video that was very simple and animated, very much from real life.

I guess that in this world many people are afraid to look cheesy, I don't know.

Yes, because I imagine it can happen. There may be people who think that the video is. And that the song is sugary. But if you think about it, well, I don't care. I like it and that's what matters. And yes, I think you have to have balls to do it. The people who will seem cheesy are probably sitting at home spending the day miserably. And it seems very good to me, that they are still there.

In January you start a huge tour with dozens of dates. You start in the United Kingdom, don't you?

Yes, I start with my band in January and February. But the tour I'm going to do in Spain I do alone, which is completely new to me. I'm going to play with drum loops and my electric guitar. It's not going to be something acoustic, but hard, a little like Sleaford Mods. But I wear my guitar, so I will play my riffis and stuff. It's something new, but I think I can move it forward. And it hits with the name of the album, "One Man Band". I want to go out and test myself.

I guess it's quite a challenge. How do you make it work?

It's a challenge, yes. It's very difficult to know what it will be like because it's the first time I've done it. I've always had the idea in my head to do a little Sleaford Mods-like thing, with drum loops and playing my guitar on top. You will still have the Miles Kane experience. It sounds a little cheesy, but it's going to be sugary. I did a test when the album came out, a bit like a teaser. And next week I'm going to do a solo like this in Sheffield with the same format as when I go to Spain and the rest of Europe. I think it works and I'm working to take the format to another level. I think it's going to be super fun, it's going to be stuck and it's going to be rocking. I haven't played solo in Spain for centuries, so I really feel like it. I think it's something completely new, and that's why it's very exciting. It seems to me that in Madrid all the tickets were sold and the concert was moved to a larger hall. I'm looking forward to getting to Spain. It's an honour.

And in those solo concerts are you going to play a little of everything?

Yes, a little bit of everything. I'm going to play my best songs. The good thing about this album is that many of these songs have connected and I still have to play them. I haven't played in Spain for years. But I think some of the venues are already sold out. They are going to be small, but I really feel like it. And this album is very fun to perform live. And I will also play the old hits, so it's going to be a full-blown party.

How has getting on a stage changed for you?

Performing is what I like most in the world. Sometimes life makes it hard precisely because I can't perform. You have to wait, you can't play every night. I still have the same tingling as when I started playing the fucking guitar at school, as a child. When I grab the guitar and go on stage, I don't care if there are ten or thousands of people. I love it.

That's the attitude. And it shows: recently I watched Youtube how you faced "The Back of Love" by Echo and The Bunnymen, live in a studio and I told myself: this is how a version is made.

Do you like them? I love them.

I'm freaking out. But it's a very hairy song, with that sharp guitar and the crazy drum beat. Why did you choose it?

I love making versions. I have done a lot throughout my career. Especially live, I like to play versions. And Echo and The Bunnymen is one of my favourite bands ever. There are many songs I could have chosen, but I still remember when I heard that song in Liverpool for the first time. It's quite unusual, isn't it? You have a crazy battery and it's like very epic. It has something from Scott Walker and also a surfing side. And it's very rocky. So it seemed appropriate to me. When I recorded it in Liverpool with my cousins we remembered when we were younger and how much we liked it. We started to do it, and it's true that there are times when it doesn't work. But in this case we decided to make a punk version, it went well and it sounds very cool.

And how do you see the Liverpool scene these days? From here we have the impression that there are always things happening throughout the United Kingdom.

It's fine. There are many young bands knocking on the door. There will always be kids in the bedroom wanting to be stars or making songs, and it often depends on the attention you put on them. But I think it never disappears, it depends on whether people look or not.

You yourself started very young in this world, but things have changed a lot, haven't they?

Yes. Obviously, if things were like when I started, right now I would be a billionaire. Streaming doesn't seem fair to me, it's hard how things have been put. It can be hard. But I am grateful to be able to still be here after twenty years. It is true that it is becoming more and more difficult, but this album has brought me back to where I wanted to be. What is difficult after being in this for so long is that you already know how things are. But it reached the 5th position. It is the highest position that a solo album of mine has reached. So I'm freaking out with it. As a 37-year-old man I feel like I'm in a good place, let's cross our fingers. For me, going out and doing these shows next year is going to be super special, I have never wanted to do something so much in my life.

By the way, do you have plans to do new things with Alex (Turner)?

Not at the moment, but never say never again...

[thefootnotes]

hit me hard and soft first listen

four step scale: skip, playlisted, green heart, life altering

SKINNY

beautiful melodies oml

"THE OLD ME IS STILL ME AND MAYBE THE REAL ME AND I THINK SHES PRETTY" HOLY SHIT BARS BARS BARS BARS BARSSSS

the vocals on "cry" are fucking beautiful

i get kind of jazz vibes from the instrumental of the bridge?? like. idk

just a beautiful and heartbreaking track

STRINGS?????

the gaspy breath in the background oml

life altering

LUNCH

already heard snippets of this one before (as in the chorus on tiktok mostly)

omg??? the transition is so smooth but they're such different vibes

well that's kind of gay

"it's a craving not a crush" is so. yes

the bass is sick

did i cringe at the rhyme of "enough" and "stuff"? just. just a lil

"you need a seat? i'll volunteer" gives me absolute throwbacks to the time my partner volunteered to be my vigilante shit chair (long story) bEFORE WE WERE DATING

the echo and then the the what the fuck is this synthy shit??? it's????? agh?????

the gasps at the end are. odd

playlisted

CHIHIRO

i've heard people talking about this one

the delivery of the run-on lyrics is beautiful

yOUouOUouOU (/pos)

oh wait that's a hard hitting lyric shit my b

the high vocals???? king shit

what's with all the gasping on this album is this a sex thing or a sad thing or just a billie thing

THE SYNTH THERE SHIT THIS IS A MASTERPIECE

okay lyrically SKINNY is my favourite so far but i'm loving the musicality on this one

the PAUSE gkdjejduufsjjsofjrje

green heart

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

wait i think i heard this on tiktok

"Til i rot away, dead and buried" 🤝noah kahans "til we're food for the worms to eat"

this is just a really beautiful "i fuckin love you" track and ughhhhhhhhhh

a lotta "hm"s in this second verse

you're so full of sHIT

all the overlaying vocals agh agh agh that's the good shit

playlisted

WILDFLOWER

so far it all flows together so beautiful agh

"things fall apart and time breaks your heart" first lyric of the track. prediction: i'm gonna cry

"i see her in the back of my mind, all the time, like a fever, like i'm burning alive" EVERYBODY GO HOME THIS IS FEELINGS™️

consulting genius because i'm losing some of the meanings here

THE BUILD UP TO THE CHORUS FUCK ME

outro???? beautiful vocals

just a very beautiful very sad very fjdksiucudhshsb song. yk

green heart

THE GREATEST

the big breath at the start djfjdijddn

the little plucking is beaut

"you don't wanna know how alone i've been" just take my heart and my will to live and also my soul

yes you are the greatest :(

the build up shit shit shit i'm gonna bawl

ALL THE TIMES I WAITED FOR YOU TO WANT ME NAKED MADE IT ALL LOOK PAINLESS MAN AM I THE GREATEEEEEEEEST

SHIT SHIT THE BEAT DROP AND THE FJDITIFJJRJRJEJDUDJDUJEJE

the backing vocals are beautiful and the drums and the snofirjwkdirhssjmsksjej

JUST WANTED PASSION FROM YOU JUST WANTED WHAT I GAVE YOU

this is sickening. i am sickened /pos

the- i- "man am i the greatest" -> "you could've been the greatest" is sickening spfmkrisjshdhe

life altering

L'AMOUR DE MA VIE

the sass in her tone lmaooo

"i said youuuuuu youuuuuuu were the love of my life"

is this just a "yeah fuck you i tried" song because that's the vibes i'm getting

WHO IS THIS SON OF A BITCH (i don't follow her personal life like. at all. i just know she dated that one really ugly dude who was way older than her)

"ITS NOT MY FAULT I DID WHAT I COULD YOU MADE IT SO HARD LIKE I KNEW YOU WOULD"

"i was the love of your life but you were not mine" ciritjdiuendiwisisjsjsjsjduududhdud

bestie what the fuck is happening the. vocoder??? okay sure bestie.

i'm ngl i don't love this bit but. solid track

oh shit wait the percussion and the- the 80s vibes the fuck what in the found heaven is this

woah there cowboy easy up on the vocal production this sounds like fckn barbie girl

okay not my fav. it was good but it got...really odd and two very different vibes and i just don't think they worked together for me personally. loved the first vibe but. not the second one

skip

THE DINER

okay so that's weird

the echoes are. weird. cool but weird

i don't know it's like. it's okay but it's not really my vibe

wait that's gay-?

"if something happens to him, you can bet that it was me" bestie??????????

did she just- dox the- okay. 8229931670 ass bitch.

yeah no it was alright ig but really just not my vibes

skip

BITTERSUITE

what is it with pop singers and 80s synth in 2024

oh???? oh!???????? the drop down to the bass and vocals is gorgeous

"i've been having dreams" reminds me of trampoline by someone (i don't remember her name. shayd maybe?) and zayn

the little beat in the back is gorgeous

that beep shit caught me the fuck off guard

brother what does lamour de ma vie mean-

oh oH OH ALRIGHT oliver stark is l'amour de ma vie

what is this- what is. okay

wait what did she say

playlisted

BLUE

WAIT IVE HEARD THIS ONE

fucking depressing no more to add

green heart

THE ALBUM

it's really beautiful how it all fits together and every track flows into the next

i don't know how i feel about so many different vibes packed into ten songs but the product is a solid album so i'll take it

lyrically some of my favourite work of hers

the bass throughout the whole album is really strong and beautiful

i forgot to do an introduction when i first listened so. no intro on this reaction. my bad

overall i didnt fall totally in love with the album, but there were some songs that really hit the mark for me.

[celestie0]

HI ELLIE OKAY I JUST FINISHED TTPD AND I AHVE OPINIONS 😭 first half of the album was ehh idk how to feel abt fortnight considering it’s the single for this album I think it was good not that good though it wasn’t amazing like lavender haze I really loved ttpd (the song) I think my boy only breaks his favorite toys were good but so long London was a HUGE disappointed I think we all hyped it up so much and we all ended up getting disappointed because it wasn’t what we wanted or expected but daddy I love him WAS SO GOOD especially the lyric Where it goes “I’m having his baby no I’m not,but you should see your faces” GAGEDDD I WAS GAGED I also really liked fresh out of the slammer especially the kind banging sounds ik it wasn’t banging but bear w me 😭😭 guys English isn’t my language you can’t blame me fr 😂😂 who’s afraid of little old me WAS SO GOOOD and I can do it with a broken heart especially when she goes “I’m so depressed I act like it’s my birthday everyday Im so obsessed with him but he avoids me like plague” and the upbeat music makes it so much better the anothology was so much better then the normal version definitely really loved the black dog that song really stood out to me imgonnagetyouback WAS SO GOOD I saved that one I hate it here was also really good 😭 thanK you aIMee THE SHADE THROWN AT KIM ?? Taylor mother fucking swift did it AGAINNN 😭😭🤞🏻 she ate her up so bad if I was Kim I would be so embarrassed rn 😭☠️ Cassandra also stood out to me I think this was abt the kimye situation Robin was ehh I think it’s a grower for me honestly but the Bolter and the manuscript were pretty good as if noe I think I’ll probably enjoy the album way more if I just listen to it more a little disappointing but that’s fine cuz there were amazing tracks on here and tbh I am not mad at it now I just need to watch the fortnight music video but I’m too overwhelmed rn so I need a break a little 🥲 now I’m just probably gonna wait for Somone to break down the tracks and point out the hidden clues in the mv 😭😭☠️

hiii bb omg your opinions are pretty much exactly mine LOL <333

yeahh i agree w you, w midnights lavendar haze was likee....it set the TONE for the album yknow hahaha. i remember first listen for it n i was like aight im locking in after hearing that. but i heard fortnight n was like...ehhh i hope it gets better. i liked ttpd too i thought it was lyrically p good song plus the line ab the ring omg i was gagged. yea SLL was disappointtinggg i was rlly looking forward to that one ripping my heart out LOL but it...didn't

"but daddy I love him WAS SO GOOD especially the lyric Where it goes “I’m having his baby no I’m not,but you should see your faces” GAGEDDD I WAS GAGED"

HELP SAME HAHAHA I WAS WATCHING A BUNCH OF TIKTOKS YESTERYDAY OF PPL REACTING TO THAT LYRIC AND IT'S SO FUNNY xD tbh when i first heard it it didn't really sink in for me so i was just vibin w it but then i was like damn. imagine if she announced to the world she was pregnant through a song like that ahhah i was shocked when i heard it again in second chorus. she was so insane for that

agghh idk 'who's afraid of little old me' and 'i can do it w a broken heart' were big time misses for me lol i haven't listened to them again since first listen but it's just cuz i don't really like those kinds of songs from her (specifically referring to the lyricism on these ones) but idkkk i could just be a hater LOL cuz my friends rly liked icdiwabh but it might grow on me, we'll see,, it's def catchy!! kinda silly but she kept it so real

YESSS i think the black dog is in my top three from album :'') i had it on repeat driving to work yesterday and i cried ??? w every listen ??? idk something ab the end of the bridge where she holds the note on "old habits die screaming" omg i sob. and i'mgonnagetyouback was also SO GOOD i think that song is the type of edgy ts lyricism i enjoy (as opposed to icdiwabh & who's afraid of lil old me)

THENK YOU AIMEE WAS WILDDD i think that's the song that had me the MOST GAGGED BC GAT DAYUM. the part where she alludes that kim's kids will be coming home from school singing songs that SHE WROTE that only the two of them know are throwing shade at kim plsss. that's wild n i'm so glad she had the balls to release that song hahah good for her

i also really liked clara bow, the part where she said "you look like taylor swift" alluding to how someday she too will be gone n only remembered for her legacy was wilddd n made me emotional ngl. also i lovedd peter too def in my top three too. also loml is probs my fave

sameee i haven't watched the new mv yet haha i think i might stream it on tv later tonight. sorryyy bb that' you're overwhelemd hope you're taking care of yurself n that your exams szn is going okay!! <33 ty for sharing your thoughts w me

[therecordconnection]

Ranting and Raving: "Sleeping with the Television On" by Billy Joel

1980 was a good year for Billy Joel. His seventh studio album, Glass Houses, continued his upward momentum as a superstar in a number of ways. Glass Houses was his second number one album (52nd Street was the first one, released two years prior), he scored his first number one hit on Billboard (“It’s Only Rock and Roll to Me”), and three other songs from the album were Top 40 hits (“You May Be Right,” “Don’t Ask Me Why,” and “Sometimes a Fantasy”). 

Glass Houses was an album that made a deliberate attempt to break away from the lighter, softer, and more ballad-y songs that he had been starting to become critically trashed for. Songs like “Just the Way You Are,” “She’s Always a Woman,” and “Honesty” had been successful hits, but the cost was that it started giving people the wrong impression that Billy and the band couldn’t rock with the best of them. By 1980, Joel had started playing arenas and stadiums, so those songs would only do so much and go so far in larger venues. He was gonna need to start coming up with bigger sounding songs that packed a real punch if he was gonna continue the upward swing and deliver a rock show that the growing audiences at his shows would really remember. 

“Sleeping with the Television On” represents the best attempt at doing that. It also might be one of the best songs that represents every strength Billy had as a songwriter. 

Billy Joel is a man who would rather talk to you about his album cuts rather than his hits, which makes sense. I imagine someone can only talk about “Piano Man” or “Uptown Girl” for so long before there’s nothing left to say. “Sleeping with the Television” on the other hand, is a song I have many things to say about.

The song begins with the end of “The Star Spangled Banner,” which then fades out and segues into a droning tone. This used to be the norm back in the day. TV stations would sign off for the night (imagine that!) and just transmit static until morning. That’s what the warning "Tomorrow morning you'll wake up with the white noise" means. If Diane, the woman Billy is singing to in the song, really did fall asleep with her television on, that's what she would hear. Nowadays, Diane would either hear some random channel if she still pays for cable for some reason, or she’ll wake up to Netflix asking her if she’s still watching Schitt’s Creek. Other than that little explanation, the lyrics to this song have aged very well. 

Lyrically, the song is all about refusing to take chances on possible love interests. This is expressed by looking at it from two points of view that Billy sings about. The first set of verses are aimed at a woman named Diane, whom Billy has been watching all night somewhere. The last set of verses are about Billy himself. Diane is described as a hard and overly defensive woman, someone who puts up a front and won’t let anybody try to sweep her off her feet. Billy argues, “You'll shoot 'em down because you're waiting / For somebody good to come on.” The criticisms he fires at Diane are the same ones he will also fire at himself. You can’t know for sure who the “somebody good” is unless you take a chance and talk to somebody. Billy puts Diane down probably because he sees too much of himself in her and he’s aware of what happens to those who don’t take chances.

Oh, You say you're looking for someone solid here You can't be bothered with those 'just for the night' boys Tonight unless you take some kind of chances dear Tomorrow morning you'll wake up with a white noise

In a way, one could find similarities between Billy singing to Diane here and Billy singing to Virginia in “Only the Good Die Young.” Both songs involve him trying to convince a woman to take a chance on the wild side for a change. There’s also the connection of Billy trying to convince both girls to take a chance on him. In Virginia’s case, that’s having a Catholic girl try to laugh with the sinners instead of cry with the saints. For Diane, he’s warning her about what will happen if she doesn’t give anybody a chance. There’s nothing more sad than going home alone and having only the television to keep you company, as far as this song is concerned. Billy decides that he can see through Diane’s defenses and determines that it’s her attitude that’s the big problem.

Your eyes are saying talk to me But your attitude is "don't waste my time" Your eyes are saying talk to me But you won't hear a word 'cause it just might be the same old line All night long, all night long You're only standing there 'Cause somebody once did somebody wrong (all night long, all night long) But you'll be sleeping with the television on

Billy Joel has always had great strength as a lyricist. When compared to the other piano man Elton John, Billy tends to shine more, probably due in part to the fact that Billy writes his own words, Elton doesn’t. It isn’t just that Billy writes his own words, it’s more that he tends to be a very honest man in his lyrics, perhaps a bit too honest sometimes. You hear him sing the words to his songs and you just get the sense that what he’s singing is coming from the heart. This helps him greatly when he has to perform and sing his own words to an audience. Last time I wrote about Electric Light Orchestra’s “Telephone Line” and how Jeff Lynne never leaves any trace of himself on the page. Billy on the other hand, leaves a lot of himself on the page. Part of what makes the lines in the later verses have real impact is that Billy has never tried to sell a version of himself that didn’t feel authentically him. If you consider Billy Joel a “rock star,” then he has everything going against him when trying to carry that title. He’s a short king at five foot five, he looked like a weird cross between Sylvester Stallone and Billy Crystal (especially during the seventies when he had that bushy afro thing going on), and he was a piano player in an age where the only beloved members of rock bands were the guitar player, the frontman, and maybe the drummer (if they’re lucky). He’s a “rock star” in the same weird way that somebody like Elvis Costello is a “rock star.” They’re dorks, but they’re such honest dorks that they wrap back around to being cool. If you wanted to make an analogy and link him to a Beatle, he wanted to be cool like George but had to settle for being dorky and earnest like Paul, which isn’t a bad thing.

In the case of “Sleeping with the Television On,” there might be more truth to his words than fiction. The best verse of the song is when Billy starts pointing the zap gun at himself:

This isn't easy for me to say Diane I know you don't need anybody's protection I really wish I was less of a thinking man And more a fool who's not afraid of rejection All night long, all night long I'll just be standing here 'Cause I know I don't have the guts to come on And I'll be sleeping with the television on

“I really wish I was less of a thinking man / And more a fool who's not afraid of rejection” is one of the best and most honest lines Billy has ever written in my opinion. If any rock star of the era had said this I would’ve laughed it off as a lie. Mick Jagger has never thought this, David Bowie has never thought this, none of the Beatles could’ve ever sold that. Part of what I think makes Billy Joel’s music hold up is that his words resonate with every dork and lovable loser that’s just like him. The ones that have had to step out of their comfort zone and take a chance, knowing full well it might blow up in their face. I said that Billy puts Diane down probably because he sees too much of himself in her, but I also think it’s a case of Billy wanting to shoot her down before she even has the chance to reject him. 

Your eyes are saying talk to me, talk to me But my attitude is "boy, don't waste your time" Your eyes are saying talk to me, talk to me But I won't say a word 'cause it Just might be somebody else's same old line

In his mind, he can’t be rejected if he never makes a move and he curses his inability to take a risk. We’ve all been there at one point or another. Don’t waste your time because it’s probably gonna end badly. Don’t use a pick-up line that some poor woman has had to hear a million times, both in person and on various dating apps. It’s not simply a song about a guy dunking on a woman for being too choosy and overly defensive, there’s more to it than that and Billy sees it. He’s criticizing her because he acts the same way she does and he doesn’t want to see it happen to her. It’s a song about defense mechanisms and how a reliance on them will cause you to possibly lose out on something that could be good for you. Unlike ELO’s “Telephone Line,” which was a song about a romantic situation where the outcome was undetermined, Billy knows how this scenario ends: “We're only standing here 'cause somebody might do somebody wrong / and we’ll be sleeping with the television on.” 

I admit that there are probably better ways to highlight loneliness. I imagine a lot of people who aren’t alone fall asleep with the television on. My parents have been falling asleep with the television on together for over thirty years. I have plenty of friends who say they turn on long Youtube videos or they’ll turn on a movie, get comfy in bed, and then immediately conk out. However, Billy sells the idea that sleeping with the television on is a sad fate. You can picture it, right? Sad, lonely little Billy Joel goes back home, probably cleans up his house a little, makes a late dinner or something, sees what’s on TV, and then falls asleep on the couch in a dark living room, the only sounds he hears waking up the next morning are the news or whatever channel was on during the night before. There are more gut wrenching ways to show loneliness, but Billy picks one that probably not a lot of people would think of. 

The lyrics aren’t exactly positive, but the music sure as hell is. Billy set out to make bigger sounding and more rocking songs with Glass Houses and he absolutely succeeded and then some. “Sleeping with the Television On” is just incredible! It’s this wonderfully concise song that’s just barely three minutes, it’s tight as hell, it’s bouncy, and it’s just a fun tune to listen to. What blows me away with this song is how weirdly herky-jerk it is. That intro has strange places where the band starts, then holds a note, then starts, then holds a note again. It’s like a jet ski riding on a lake. It’s smooth, then you hit a wave and you jump up a bit, then you’re back on the lake like nothing happened. It’s a real testament to the talent of Billy’s classic backing band because this song sounds deceptively easy, when in reality one bad mistake can fuck it all up and get it wrong. If you play it too slow, the song just sounds like you’ve got a band that doesn’t know what they’re doing. If you play it too fast, the rhythm gets all messed up and the song becomes too herky-jerk and way too much, it becomes too loose. The band plays this at the perfect tempo and they know where to start, when to hold, and when to keep the rhythm consistent. 

Speaking of consistent rhythm, the real star on this song has gotta be drummer and “Most Italian Sounding Name In Town” award winner, Liberatori “Liberty” Devitto. Focus on him when listening to this song and it’s such understated work but it really adds a lot. He’s constantly switching up the beat every few measures to match the changes in Billy’s vocal melody and where the song is going. It’s wonderful. I’ve counted at least four different kinds of beats he plays in the song. He never stays on one of them for too long and you can hear Neil Peart do something similar on Rush’s “Subdivisions.” What makes it stand out and makes it so wonderful is how it’s only a slight change every now and again to keep things fresh. He never throws a wrench in the song and he doesn’t bring a lot of attention to it either so it’s easy to not even notice how often he’s changing things up.

“You May Be Right” and “Sometimes a Fantasy” were the songs from Glass Houses that proved Billy was capable of writing hard rocking songs that could stand with the best of the them, but if “Sleeping with the Television On” proves anything, it proves that Billy Joel understood the genre of “new wave,” which was something that was only just beginning to crop up at the start of the decade. Arena rock bands of the early eighties like the Rolling Stones or Foreigner or Journey wouldn’t be able to pull off a song like this, but early eighties new wave acts like Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Joe Jackson, or XTC absolutely could. The song rocks, but it still retains and mostly keeps the polished pop elements that made Billy a huge star at the end of the seventies and would keep him working through the eighties and beyond. That little keyboard solo in the middle of the song lasts less than twenty seconds, but it’s such a fun little thing. It’s another memorable part of a very good song. Nothing overstays its welcome here and the song has no wild tricks up its sleeve. It knows what it wants to do, what it wants to be, and just goes for it. Most importantly, it does it right and it doesn’t waste your time. It’s just a fun and enjoyable little song on a pop-rock album, which is sometimes all that you really want. 

“Sleeping with the Television On” wasn’t one of the singles from Glass Houses, but it absolutely could’ve been. In a way, it might be better for it that it wasn’t. It’s tucked away on the second side of the album, waiting for any curious listener who wants to find it. Its creator certainly wants you to find it. It still gets played today as part of the many songs Billy Joel performs as part of his residency at Madison Square Garden that seemed endless (until he announced that it will finally be coming to an end in July 2024, with his 150th performance at the venue. Get tickets while you still can!) Billy Joel’s hits are more than worthy of attention, but so are his album cuts. What you get with “Sleeping with the Television On” is a wonderful piece of pop-rock that serves as a warning and explores the consequences of not taking chances. It’s a lesson in not being so defensive; that there’s a beauty in leaving yourself exposed and open for what could be a good opportunity. There’s the obvious risk that you’re gonna get hurt, but the song argues that taking a chance and getting hurt is better than going home alone and having nothing but the sounds of the television to comfort you. Hell, if any rockstar was gonna tell you that taking a risk might lead to something good, it’s Billy freakin’ Joel. That man is the epitome of “shoot your shot.” After he got divorced from his first wife in 1982, that man dated a supermodel who later had the nickname “The Body” (Elle Macpherson)! That guy got to be married to Christie Brinkley for nine years! If he can make stuff like that happen, shit, we all should take a chance and shoot our shot. Sometimes it works... though it helps if you’re a really successful and good piano player on top of that.

Regardless, it’s a good lesson from one of New York’s finest. Take a risk and make a move. Fortune favors the bold and if you’re lucky, you’ll still fall asleep with the television on, but there will be somebody to share breakfast with in the morning.

[gwynndolin]

Kitschke Recs, Night Medicine by Night Medicine

This album is certainly more up my alley than Faetooth!

This was another album that I listened to while closing, so the first listen to was a little distracted, but it was extremely easy to listen to, so in that regard it's already doing pretty well.

The intro track for this record, "Heart In Hand", is a really evocative of old folk songs, similar to something like Nancy Sinatra's cover of "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" to me. The lament over a mostly stripped down folk-y track is an excellent intro to this album and a pretty good tone setter for the sonic profile of the whole piece.

I think especially in this time of heavy production on a lot of music nowadays, it's a good break to have an album like this, where it's mostly clean tones on everything and pretty simple instrumentation, it tends to stand out to me more. And of course, to clarify, the "simplicity" is not pejorative here.

That being said, not a whole lot of the lyricism stands out especially to me at any point in this record. Not necessarily bad, but the folk-y lament really rides on telling a story, and I'm not sure it's really captured that on all its tracks. That being said, I haven't listened enough to maybe have the lyrics resonate with me all that much, so it is certainly possible they could grow on me!

The only other real complaint I have with the album is that, due to the fact of the aforementioned simplicity, a lot of the tracks on this record feel somewhat same-y. So tracks like "Storm Song" and "Summer Waltz" (thankfully an actual waltz!) stand out more than some of the other tracks, that sound arguably too similar to the intro track.

Also, just randomly adding this on, any one of these tracks would probably fit in super well in the Pacific Drive soundtrack, I think the tone matches that game's other radio station songs pretty closely. I was honestly kind of surprised when looking it up that they weren't on there, though I have to imagine the Pacific Drive team picked out bands local to the PNW and Night Medicine is based out of New Orleans.

Fave tracks: "Heart in Hand", "Wait", "Storm Song", "Summer Waltz", "Dreams"

Probably a light 6/10, for me on this one. I would love to see where this sound evolves to, might check back in on 'em in the future

[waterparksdrama]

have you done a track by track review of Cluster? not an album technically but it is very beloved to me

sure :) i listen to it all the time so

crave - sometimes you want some good ass pop punk that stands out little and this song is the one you want. what else can i say. lyrically, the song follows geoff's perspective during a breakup he was going through at the time (and awsten would soon have himself by the time the ep was released). it uses the imagery of awsten's room because they lived on the same bunk bed together there for a while so it all makes sense on why the song is the way it is. i love the geoff solo even if you can't tell it's him on the first listen bc his and awsten's vocal tones are so similar. - 8/10

territory - i listen to this song a lot but i could not tell you what it's about for sure, specifically those first lines. from what i can gather, it's mostly about contemplating over the state of a relationship, and the obsession that comes with staying despite things going pretty stormy. musically, there's these pretty jangly guitars throughout the song, its simple parts contrasting with the rolling thunder of the drums. good ass song. i still do not know what the "filtered mood swings oh wait they're indie" lyrics are supposed to mean - 8/10

mad all the time - this is legitimately my most listened to song on spotify. it's so good and it does not help that with every year it keeps being relatable. a song about writer's block that turns into venting about awsten's life at that point. it begins with this haunting, stuttering melody of guitars accompanied by a drum pad that evolves into the wailing riffs and drums in the chorus as awsten repeats the title. it's too good of a song i have to listen to it at least 10 times to feel like i listened to it enough. - 9/10

pink - a song about being obsessed from afar over someone you've known for a long time. it's a cute little pop punk song with electronic embellishments that add the parx touch but wow this song. of course, i think we're all familiar with the "it's just that it's not fun when i find out you're playing for the other team" lyric that awsten literally refuses to explain other than say the song isn't about a lesbian. he probably shot himself in the foot with that a little, but i digress good song, we are never going to find out what he meant by that for real - 8/10

no capes - i feel like no one really notices how well pink segues into this song whether on accident or on purpose with its sparkly intro building into the verses. a song about the doubts coming with getting bigger as a band and managing expectations if things go wrong. it's one of those songs that sound happy until you actually listen to the lyrics when awsten starts pleading for someone to listen and doubt himself. it's sad but it's also fun (musically). it's one of those songs that make you sit down and go fuuuuuuuuuccccccck - 8/10

god this is a good ep. the fact that this could've been an album is its only crime but i get it, they were a newly signed band so i'm relying on awsten to leak those damn demos when he can. i like this ep in particular because of that desolate feeling the guitars will have on most of the songs on top of some of the subject matter. this is an indie album (to me). stream cluster everyday all day you won't regret it. - iz

[swangtup6]

Album Review: Wintermoon - The Mightiest Stand Above (1995)

Wintermoon, from Finland, is a personal favorite band of mine. I found them through their 1995 rehearsal/demo and discovered this release shortly after. They have a lovely take on the genre, and honestly don't get their praises sung enough, likely due to the other finnish bands that were popping off with full-lengths while these guys only ever released demos. Whatever the reason, I've never heard anyone talk about this band online or IRL so id consider them to be a bit of a hidden gem. How great is this underrated demo? Let's discuss.

The tape kicks off with a nice synth intro. I really like the intro actually, because it sets the tone for the demo, is pleasant to listen to, and doesn't take up a shit ton of time (it's only like a minute long). Overall, good start.

Then kicks in the first real song, and if it isn't fucking great idk what it is. It goes hard from the first riff. Wintermoon have a dope combination of black metal and dungeon synth that I really enjoy, so most of the riffing on this is layered with pleasant melodic synths that contrast well with the raw and distorted guitar and drums, somewhat in the realm of late-90s Grausamkeit (especially when it picks up the pace) but a bit cleaner recording-wise. I like this track a lot, it has a hazy, somewhat ethereal sound to it while still having the cold black metal vibe. It's also pretty hook-y, but in a kvlt way, with some catchy synth melodies weaving their way through the distorted mix. This is a very well-composed song, with multiple distinct movements that vary quite a bit but don't sound disjointed.

The 2nd real song, and 3rd overall track, is a little more guitar-heavy, with some almost shoegaze-y staticky riffing taking the forefront and the synths more in the background providing higher pitched melodies. This track also reminds me of Grausamkeit but also of Burzum, what with its slow/medium pace for the main part of the song. the first track is definitely the "flagship" here but this one is also fantastic, and has some beautiful playing, especially from the drummer and keyboardist, as well as during the guitar solo.

The tape ends with another more dungeon synth-y track. This one is a bit longer than the first, but isn't quite as good in my mind. Still a competent piece!

Overall, if you like BSoD, this is a fantastic release. It's very much in that same realm of pseudo-symphonic, dungeon synth tinged black metal as found in most Grausamkeit releases from 1997-2000, but with a slower and more ethereal take. It's much more relaxed as well, I wouldn't call this an aggressive or even particularly high energy release at all, it's very beautiful to listen to, and despite its pretty raw sound (it is a mid-90s black metal demo after all) it's pretty relaxing and accessible. I would highly recommend this to those who are already fans of black metal, but I don't think it would be a great introduction to the genre due to its pretty unconventional sound.

8/10

Standout track: Night so Cryptic is All Mine

[goliraz]

cracker island track by track review

'review' used very loosely. These R the thoughts of a tipsy scouser

got too long so it's hidden; it is mainly critical tbh not because Im negative or mean its just my track by track thoughts and on sound alone this (2 me) was the weakest album they've ever put out

cracker island: if it came on in a club I would dance to it but I don't know if Id be having a great time. The song feels way more redundant than it might actually be because there's only like 1 melody in it. The instrumental melody & the vocals r the same. So IDK it's like. Its definitely technically a song. But it's like the bare minimum of a song

oil: I wish if any of the songs on this album broke from the popsynth fake drums mold it would be this one. The thing about Stevie Nicks is I don't listen to fleetwood mac at all but her voice is so unique and captivating. It crushes me like an anvil on my head that they didn't even let her sing on her own + kept her to a secondary harmony the whole time. This more than any of the other songs would have benefitted from real instruments IMO. The up a perfect fourth down a perfect third hook is catchy & that pattern can't fail it sounds good nomatter what.

the tired influencer: at this point in the album Im starting to wonder why they even bother with the characters playing instruments anymore cos what did noodle do on this album. There's like no guitar at all on the album. All the bass is synth bass. The characters' function in the band/story is getting less & less relevant to the music it annoys me. IDK this song is boring 2 me. Its like if the Fall was overproduced and had nothing 2 say

silent running: this song has always since it came out felt half finished. It's like the basis of a song that's not done IDK I feel like it's missing a component that might make it feel whole. The feature could have been deleted and the song would be the exact same; something I notice about the features on this album except Bootie brown & bad bunny is that they're extremely underutilized to the point where they might not have even been there. Like ur featuring an artist to do a background harmony??? Maybe this song will feel more done & real when I hear the piano version

new gold: 1 of the better ones on the album for me completely because of Bootie brown. Even though they took a rapper who is so strong and good even (especially) live and put his voice through 100million filters and dampened his skill completely. The live version of this one is how I wish it sounded on the album cos the energy of Bootie's part in that saves this song; timing is kind of cool but it's not like. New in any way.

baby queen: if they had changed the presentation of each instrumental in this song they could have made it an 80s synthpop genre piece like aries that would have been 4x better. I wish it wasn't so so so so so so boring to me. It just sounds like all the other songs on the album IG it feels like a filler song to me. Even just better/less smooth tone/effects on the synth wld have been something but suppose not

tarantula: it's catchy but it feels low effort. The lyrics r dumb IDK how else to put it not that they're inherently stupid but they're dumbed down. Compared to sum of their earlier more 'romantic' minded lyrics like every planet + some of the stuff off plastic beach, "if ur good for me and Im good for u then that's all I need in my life" sounds like a 2014 pop lyric geared towards the 11-16 age demographic u feel. Lyrically they've dumbed down their shit so much

tormenta: fine I guess. It's mid reggaeton that's too produced and smooth to even dance to. If it came on in a club compared to most other bad bunny songs I've heard not even the bad bunny fans would dance. It's like. Too slow to be what the only things going for it would suggest it is. The little synth break at around like 2:40 is the prettiest thing in the song to me I wish maybe they had leaned more towards that for tone instead of trying for something the song is just not

skinny ape: the third better song on the album. In terms of like well these are better than the rest. Like it's this new gold and oil I think. Maybe this is the song that feels the most comfortable in what it is. It sounds exactly like 2012 radio pop in the self proclaimed "alternative" genre like grouplove an shit. Like it sounds like 1 song in particular but I cant remember what it is and its driving me fucking mental. Something about it is likeable even though the lyrics are so fucking dumb I wanna tear my ears off. U are not a cartoon G damon u are an embarrassing middle aged geezer

possession island: like if Idaho kind of forgot its poignancy. But there's something really beautiful about the first minute of it. Maybe this is actually one of the better ones too. The further Im getting into it the more Im liking it. I don't see why beck had to be there. It's like the plague of this album they feature someone to literally sing backup. Anyway the further I get in this song the more I like it I think it's my favourite song on this album probably. OK goodbye

addendum: if I listened 2 any of these songs coked out of my mind they'd probably sound fine so maybe I should just save this album 4 those circumstances

[juusankai]

A little something about the seiyuu, Umehara Yuuichirou that I want to get off my chest.

As the Fall Anime Season approached me, I looked for different series I could watch in my spare time. Besides the ones I already wanted to watch I thought to myself I should check out MAL for an official listing of all the anime confirmed for the season. I thought to myself: "Hm...why not?". My curiosity was at it's peak.

As I scrolled the long list of anime, some of them that reached my interest, I immediately noted them down. One of them happened to be this long-titled isekai romance with a title I couldn't even understand. The poster of the anime didn't really peak my interest but I noted it down anyway.

The first episode aired and then the second one, the third one.

I was hooked.

"I'm the Villainess so I'm Taming the Final Boss" or Akulas for short hooked me from the first episode. The opening, the ending, the story, the MC and of course Claude, the Demon King, played by no one else than Umehara Yuuichirou.

What I'm trying to say is that Akulas introduced me to Umehara-san and I couldn't be more grateful. The tone of his voice? The raspy and velvety sound of his voice? Hearing him talking about how he wants to spoil his then fiancee to the rotten, just made me shiver. I had to look him up.

And that's where it all started...and now I feel like a teenager again, who fell in love with the boy who offered her his pencil because she forgot hers in the other backpack.

And when I looked him up it truly felt like home..somehow. I loved everything about him, his face, his style and his movements. His mannerisms and the way he talks in interviews. His calm demeanor and the way he says "Oi" when things get awkward around him. The way he forces out a laugh because he is out of energy and just wants to synchronize with the others. His weird humor and vulgar words that has 0 correlation with his personality. But I love that honesty.

I tried to clean up this photo of him since it's one of my favourites so far. I know it's the 1000th time I'm mentioning his beauty, but can I do it again? And again?

In the back of my mind I hope that one day I will meet him.

And in the deeper corners of my mind, a part of me wishes that "me" would never existed and another "me" would emerge, one who is closer to him.

I'm pretty sure we all love our idols, or seiyuus in this case, but didn't you ever wish you can be friends with them? See them everyday? Talk to them about their daily life. Or just be there to see their career take off?

I will always have Umehara-san in my mind and heart because he truly makes he happy. He offered me so much peace in a time where i felt angry, sad and lonely. I loved the sound of his voice, it made my heart tremble with happiness.

I want to meet him and I want to see him in real life.

But most I can do now is to support his career and watch it as it blooms. So far he has a few roles confirmed for 2023 which is great! I will name a few that come at the top of my mind.

Spy Classroom (main character)

Revenger (main cast)

Ayaka (main character)

The Reason why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion (main character)

More of them to be confirmed. We will be very luck if we get him in Jigokuraku or Jujutsu Kaisen. He could do a great Toji. Or we get even luckier and get him as the main character in My Happy Marriage.

No matter what kind of character he will play, I will be there to support it, watch his lives, save his pictures, think about him when a love song starts playing and talk about him just like I did now.

And as I'm entering the conclusion for this little essay, I want to bring attention to the fact that he is also in a band!

It's called Sir Vanity and they have an album out! Go check it out and stream it. Their genre is rock and a very good one. Some of the tracks have been written by Umehara himself and surprise, surprise he writes about break ups. He can sing really well and guitar too. The other 3 members are talented as well so please support them! They will have a new song out so please follow their social media! They have an official Twitter account.

So, as I'm typing my final words I'm hoping that you, my dearest reader, had the patience to at least read a bit about Umehara. Maybe you will end up loving him as much as I do.

I will link now some of the social media that might help you learn about Umehara-san a bit better.

Yuuichirou Umehara official Twitter account: https://twitter.com/UmeuMeumE_Y?t=9QDkhFiESomsDnCogENQkg&s=09

Sir Vanity Official Twitter Account:

https://twitter.com/SirVanity?t=gv29iHmsGz3LUZ5_UcuKqw&s=09

Sir Vanity official YouTube channel:

Sir Vanity official Spotify account so you can officially stream their album and other songs:

His "Behind the Voice Actors" page so you can see more of his roles:

His radio show "Hyrotto Danshi" with Nishimya Koutarou:

"Saturday Machiavellism Night", Umehara's radio show:

And you can follow @/umeupdates for daily posts, news about Umehara on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/umeupdates?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

That was all! Thank you for reading.