#also love all the other name puns on the soundtracks

[fortheloveofshitsandgiggles]

Unreal Unearth is an album that means a lot to me. It’s one of if not the greatest albums I’ve ever heard. Each song impacts me in a different way, so I wanted to go through each song with my own experience and interpretations (disclaimer, some of these analyses are my personal interpretation or how I react to the song, art is subjective and is what you make it)

De Selby (Part 1): oh my god I’ve been dying to hear Hozier sing in Gaeilge. I actually sang a song in Gaeilge in choir a few years back, and while it was difficult for me pronunciation wise, it was super fun to sing and is a beautiful and underrated language in my opinion. I also adore how haunting it is. It sounds like the soundtrack to my crisis (and it has been). I struggle to explain it, but the melody is so tormenting, especially with the layered voices in the second half of the Gaeilge verse. They feel very ghost like. It’s such an incredible way to introduce us into the decent into hell.

Transition: Yes I’m giving this special section because it’s one of the greatest song transitions I’ve ever heard. It’s really difficult to transition from a slow song into an upbeat one, but this one did it in a way that allows my brain to adjust to the difference in tempo. First of all, it lowers in pitch until it matches the key of part 2, musically representing our slow decent into hell. Then it starts with this beat that goes into part 2, and to me, this represents a building of insanity, one that is further explored in part 2.

De Selby (part 2): This is one of my favorite songs on the entire album. First of all, the beat is so addictive and the song generally makes me want to shake my ass. But beyond that, this song encompasses insanity in a way that I haven’t seen before but is also so relatable. Even with the music video, like there are times where I have felt exactly like the guy in the video and I just want to run into the abyss and forget everything and hit myself with a shovel. Hozier has such a talent for making relatability so artistic and unreal (forgive the pun).

First Time: This song is so full of complex lyricism that I couldn’t even begin to dive into. It’s super vibey, which I appreciate. A few notable lyrics I’d like to point out is “But you spoke some quick new music that went so far to soothe this soul as it was and ever shall be, unearth without a name.” I don’t know if anyone’s talked about this, but this lyric was so similar to the “glory be” prayer (I grew up Catholic lol) that goes “glory be to the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was and ever shall be, a world without end.” I don’t know if that was intentional/ the direct inspiration but I def did a double take when I heard that lyric. If it is intentional, I love how he twists it from a praise god I’ll get into Heaven sort of plea into describing the limbo we are trapped in, unearth without a name. The other lyric is “These days I think I owe my life to flowers that were left here by my mother, Ain't that like them, giftin' life to you again” I just think that’s such a sweet line that appreciates the kindness in humanity, especially so many mothers including my own. I would like to give a shoutout to Hozier’s mom for birthing and raising him, I would love to shake hands with her.

Francesca: This is maybe one of the best songs Hozier has ever put out. It has been on repeat since the second he dropped it. First of all, the sheer concept of this song, to love someone so full and so deeply that you would endure every ounce of pain and suffering that is inflicted on you because of this love, that is so powerful and just has such an element of storytelling that is as thrilling as watching a movie. To endure such hardship for the sake of a simple touch makes me want to cry. We all want something like that, to be protected and to be worth the sacrifice of another. And the lyrics encompass that perfectly, especially “Heaven is not fit to house a love like you and I.” Now, being religiously traumatized myself, Heaven is a concept that I’ve gotten to know well. Eternal bliss and joy in the comfort of Jesus. It has hung over my head and has been used to keep me in the religion, especially as a comfort when it comes to the concept of death. But to say that even this place of eternal bliss and love and joy isn’t fit for the kind of love we possess just absolutely guts me. It is just beyond incredible.

I, Carrion (Icarian): As if Francesca wasn’t devastating enough, Hozier had to follow it up with this one. I absolutely love the use of Icarus imagery in songs, I love Icarus by Bastille (it especially reminds me of Crowley and Aziraphale from Good Omens). I know he used Icarus imagery in previous songs, and this is no hate to Sunlight, but I was def looking for something gentler that further explored the different perspectives of the story. And you know what, Hozier delivered. To paint the fall as something beautiful or as not even perceiving it as a tragedy is such a fresh take that I love the exploration of. “If I should fall on that day I only pray don’t fall away from me,” that hit me like a bag of bricks when I first heard it. Like, he’s plummeting from the sky, and still says “allow the ground to find its brutal way to me.” No matter what the ground holds for me, as long as I’m falling with you, everything will be alright. It becomes this state of delusion that is both heartwarming and devastating.

Eat Your Young: This song is what I have affectionately and repeatedly referred to as the “sexiest political commentary I’ve ever heard.” The melody and beat are so seductive, which just contributes to the appeal of the message, despite it being a pretty horrifying one. But it is from the perspective of the villain, which is an interesting point to write from. To say that it’s easier to cut out the middle man and eat your children rather than do atrocious things for power and money that will kill them anyways is such a relevant take on not only politics and capitalism but just the greedy side of humanity in general. The song is almost a trick, like it makes the greed sound so appealing and acts as a siren song to push the narrator’s unreliable narrative.

Damage Gets Done: I love Hozier songs that dive into the feeling of being young. Songs like Sedated and even Jackie and Wilson are reminiscent of that. We often think we’re indestructible when we’re young and we think we can do anything. We become reckless, but that recklessness isn’t what kills us. It’s the people in power who damage us with the laws they pass and systems they create. It sounds so happy like childhood, and yet it reminisces on what it was like to not be forced to participate in these systems such as capitalism. It felt good to just be free and not be tied down by the world. The melody of this song sounds nostalgic and hype like the energy of a young person. Also shoutout Brandi Charlie, I adore her voice on this track and in general.

Who We Are: We have to get through things one way or another, but “getting through still has a cost.” God, this line hits because even when the “damage gets done,” we still have to hurt in order to heal. And it hurts the most when you didn’t realize what you lost until it’s gone. The other lyric that hits is “someone with your eyes might come in time to hold me like water or christ hold me like a knife” hold me even though I’ll slip through your fingers, or if you can’t do that, wield me as something that can cause damage. And there’s nothing else we can do about it. Why? Because that’s who we are. Also, Hozier’s vocals on this song are absolutely insane, those high notes are so angelic. I don’t think I knew his range went that high but I was super impressed.

Son of Nyx: It seems like I say every song is my favorite (because they’re all so freaking good), but this one has got to be my favorite on the album. Despite the lack of words, this song stuck out to me the most. I want to kiss the composer of this piece. First of all, I’m an absolute slut for orchestral/ cinematic songs. And this song is unlike any of his other songs. It carries this haunting melody that is almost angelic in a way but the minor key pulls you back down into this journey of hell that we’ve been going on. It incorporates the melodies from other songs on the album beautifully. I’ve only been able to pick out the melodies from who we are and abstract, so let me know if there’s any others I missed. But the moment where the orchestra swells makes me actually ascend into the next dimension. I swear I had an out of body experience when I heard it for the first time. It’s so terrifying in a beautiful way and words can’t properly convey how this song makes me feel. It doesn’t need to have words for me to understand it, and pieces like that are especially impactful to me.

All Things End: Wow what a way to follow that. It definitely gives a bit of whiplash. First of all, I love the music video for this because the cut from Heaven Hozier singing with his little surgeon church choir to him dead on a table makes me giggle every time, it’s so abrupt. Anyways, it’s interesting that this song goes under the circle of Heresy, because the connection isn’t immediately obvious. But, to me, it does make a lot of sense. To say all things end, including Heaven and hell, inherently denies the belief in Christian ideals. Which, to me, is empowering in a way. This song is simultaneously hopeless and hopeful at the same time. It says that joy will end eventually, but so will the pain. It’s a comfort and an anxiety all wrapped up into one song.

To Someone From a Warm Climate (Uiscefhuarithe): I’m gonna be honest, this one was harder for me to figure out. It’s incredibly simple in a way that is so effective. To me, this song sounds like being unable to provide for someone what they need. And that’s one of the most devistating feelings, one that the simple sad sound of the song encompasses very well. I know what it feels like to be unable to give what someone needs. It makes you feel so stuck and so useless, a feeling which I despise. And Hozier, as he always does, broke my heart with this one. But he was only gearing me up for what would come later with Unknown.

Butchered Tongue: One thing this song reminds me of is how much history we’ve lost. I think about this a lot, the texts we could’ve had, the wisdom we could’ve shared with one another, all lost to the greed of other human beings. I think of the Indigenous cultures that were viciously stripped away in the name of god, the languages lost, the abuse endured. I think of the stories of LGBTQ+ people that remain untold because it didn’t fit the ideal image of those in power. I think of the untold thoughts and lives brutally taken to early. We build incredibly complex and beautiful cultures but we still put in the hours to tear them down. It’s a really upsetting reality, to know that loss happens all around us and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. But we are also encouraged to be kind, so if you take anything from this post, from this song, please show kindness to all, especially those whose stories remain untold.

Anything But: This one is just so groovy I always gotta do a little dance when I hear it. What’s interesting is this song is framed like a love song. But to me, this sounds like running from something or someone. Like “I don’t wanna be anything but I would do anything just to run away” like yeah same. I just want to run away from everything and move into a cottage in the woods or something. It really captures that feeling of just wanting to get tf out of here.

Abstract (Psychopomp): Circling back to the religious trauma thing, I’ve always had a fear of death. Or rather, what comes after death. With the threat of hell always hanging above my head, I was scared to step out of that narrative they always trapped me in with. I don’t wanna suffer for eternity after my short existence. So I’ve always struggled with the idea of dying. But this song frames the journey to the afterlife as something beautiful, which is so comforting, I can barely put it into words. The idea that a spirit guide could be escorting you to the afterlife and they tell you to look back at Earth and “see how it shines” makes me feel a relief unlike any other. I know this song is based on an experience Hozier had where he watched an animal get hit by a car and watched someone comfort the animal in its last moment. But the way this song treats the concept of death is just so moving. It captures the fear and the pain but also the beauty of having someone to share those last moments with and having someone guide you beyond. The imagery in this song is such pure storytelling I feel like I am recounting the memory as if it’s my own.

Unknown / Nth: Not only is this song the most devastating one on the album, it’s maybe the most devastating song I’ve ever heard. I went through a breakup a while back and every single lyric described every single thing I was feeling about that lost relationship. It captured me and my pain so well I’m convinced Hozier crawled into my brain and wrote this. He described feelings I couldn’t even fit into words. The teaser that Hozier posted for this song on tik tok actually came out right in that stage where I could feel they were drifting away from me. This was a long distance relationship, so first the “you know the difference never made a difference to me” hit hard. Not only that, I always called them my angel, so “I thought you were like an angel to me” was just double the emotional damage. Then, we get to the bridge. This bridge is the absolute most gut wrenchingly genius string of words ever written. “Do you know I could break be with the weight of the goodness love I still carry for you? That Id walk so far just to take the injury of finally knowing you” Holy. Shit. I’m someone who, when I love someone, I love them with every ounce of myself. I would bend the Earth if they asked me to, I would give them my life and soul to sell to Satan. For a long time after that breakup, I still loved them and that love just fueled my grief. I knew this person like the back of my hand, I knew every inflection in their voice, every joke they hadn’t yet made, every feature of their face. And they knew me, fully and deeply in a way few people do. They listened, and they made me feel heard. And all of the sudden, it was all gone. And I did break beneath that weight, because I still loved and knew them, but didn’t get to know anymore. I didn’t get to know what they were doing now, how they were doing, I didn’t get to call them every single night anymore. But despite all of the pain, I would gladly do it over and over again. I can’t bring myself to regret any of it. “And there are some people love who are better unknown.” All I’ve ever wanted was to be understood. I struggle to make friends, and sometimes when I do, I’m only relevant when I’m beneficial. I’ve only ever wanted to be known by those around me. And they knew me. But when they left, I felt like I was unknown again. And I too resigned myself to that idea that maybe I am better unknown.

Transition: The transition between Unknown / Nth and First Light is much more subtle than the one between the De Selbys. But it’s there and it’s worth mentioning. When Unknown / Nth ends, we are left with this sinking and hopeless feeling that we will forever be stuck in that ice, flapping our wings. That hopelessness is drawn out in this ghost of a lingering note that pulls through the end of the song. Then the very first note of First Light is the same as the last note of Unknown / Nth.

First Light: The beginning of this song sounds exactly like rays of light spilling through the cracks. It sounds like the relief of light hitting your eyes after being trapped in a place of darkness for a long time. As the song goes on, it starts to sound more like an ascension. The vocals become very angelic and the whole song grows into this powerhouse of force that just gives off such a hope and determination that we haven’t felt for this whole album. To me, it’s very interesting that Hozier decides to end this album on such a hopeful note despite how devastating every other song was. I was convinced he was going to end the album on Unknown, and he very well could’ve done that. He could’ve left us in the deepest circle of hell. But he chose to end on this super optimistic note of finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I think it just gives us a look into his own optimism and his belief that our resilience as humans has and will pay off. We are constantly faced with adversity and won’t stop until we take our last breaths. But our desire to keep fighting is what makes us such a uniquely incredible species. And the payoff afterwards is a satisfaction that nothing else can quite compare to.

Hozier has such a way of turning the human experience into something otherworldly. He never ceases to amaze me with how his mind creates. I hope I get to tell him one day how much his art means to me and how deeply it’s affected me.

#hozier #andrew hozier byrne #unreal unearth #music #art #storytelling #mythology

[gillianthecat]

Between Us - episode one an intrepid reporter watches, without having seen UWMA

Going in, I know next to nothing about this show. I have the tag filtered, and I haven't read the summary or seen the trailer. I did see part of the first episode of Until We Meet Again, but as far as I remember these characters weren't in it. The only information that has made it through the cone of silence is that either the characters or the actors are named Win and Team, one of them is blond, and they did a bunch of product placement in UWMA, possibly with Lay's chips. And I'm not very positive about any of that being true.

summary after watching: For me, this show is holding up on its own. It turns out I did remember more about the beginning of UWMA than I thought, but I feel like Between Us would work even if I didn't know UWMA's basic premise. Yes, Pharm's flashbacks would be confusing, but they're also confusing for him so I don't think that would make the episode too confusing overall. There are a lot of things I still don't know, but it feels like normal episode one information still to uncover, not plot holes because the show is assuming I already know the story. And, up to a point, I would rather have less information than too much, so I appreciate the mystery. I was surprised by how prominent Dean & Pharm's story has been so far. I expected it to be more background. I wonder if its going to stay this prominent, or if it's more to set the stage. Overall the show feels very professional and... not expensive, but adequately funded. The production values all feel pretty high - lighting, sets, editing, soundtrack, cinematography - and the acting is very good. It all makes me trust these storytellers know what they're doing. So yes, I am hooked. I can see why y'all have been so excited about this show. I will definitely keep watching.

Below are my notes as I watched. I took a lot so they're beneath the cut.

So. Diving in.*

*pun unintentional at the time, but appreciated now post-viewing

- I like this parallel morning opening. Blondie with the tattoos is hot, pushing back his hair to the rock soundtrack. Actually they're both cute. I like the alarm clock cliche, although Mamoru from Kabe Koji wins with his 20 plus clocks, and Wah from Why You... Y Me? still beats this guy with his paltry single alarm clock.

- The cool kid and the chaos boy? That's my first impression.

- Hmm. Swimming pools may be important? based on the opening credits.

- Aw. A crash-into-you with an adorable het couple. Including whats-her-name (Sammy?) from those other shows I can't recall. Were they in UWMA too? (Don't answer that.) Interesting that they get to meet each other first, before our main couple.

- ooh... A one sided pining situation? or love crush at first sight? I can't tell yet.

- And here comes That Fucking House 2.0. I guess I knew four things about this show- I'd heard she was in it too. (Do you think there is stock footage of the exterior that all these shows are using, or do they each shoot their own?)

- Wait, is that Santa?! He looks so different, I mostly recognized him by voice. I'm still not sure, I haven't gotten a good view of his face yet.

- Ah. Team at least is a swimmer. That makes sense with the pool footage. And now I've figured out their names.

- I like Team's dorky new friend group! I don't always like the comic relief characters but so far A, Bee and Sea seem fun. (Also love the names joke.)

- I feel like I just saw this pool in something but I can't remember what show.

- I think I like Win's friend group dynamic as well. Whew, that's a relief. I also like Win's slight mysterious brooding air. And the way he looks at Team, with the heavenly music on the soundtrack. (so I guess it is crush at first sight? rather than long term pining?)

- so far I've gathered Team is a first year and Win seems to be a sophomore or a junior, but my instinct is junior. (I don't know if the U.S. terms apply in Thailand.)

- Team seems like a sweetheart so far. Is Win making this announcement about scholarship students not being guaranteed a spot in a "I like you. Get out of my school" kind of way, or is it just a coincidence? Either way, its stressful. Athletic scholarships are a fucked up system in general.

- Oh Pharm! He's the main guy from UWMA! I recognize him. I (obviously) have no idea where we are in his story.

- My guess is that Pharm and Manow were his friends in UWMA, but A, Bee and Sea are new for this series.

- Win looks so cool, even his sauntering walk. I totally would have had a crush on him in college.

- Oh! I was about to get excited about their first real interaction but they were just teasing us.

- Is Win basically raising his brothers? He acts like it.

- It is Santa. He seems so different here somehow.

- Tul looks vaguely familiar, but I'm not sure from what.

- Hmm, what is going on with Team? Why is he being mopey?

- I continue to really like the way Win looks at Team, and how they show Team as totally oblivious.

- oh. That's why this whole thing with Manow is familiar? I think I did watch this part of UWMA where they watch the swim tryouts. So I guess Pharm's love interest is one of the other guys on the swim team? I honestly can't remember what he looks like, or how they met. Ah, I guess this must be him staring love struck. It's slowly coming back to me. (Are these scenes reshot? or are they using footage from UWMA?) Ah Dean, that's right. I did know his name at some point. So far I'm finding him more intriguing here than I did in the little bit of UWMA that I watched.

- oh yes, I remember that Pharm was in the cooking club too. It's slowly coming back. Maybe I did watch a little more then I thought.

- These hints of Dean and Pharm's story are working for me. Perhaps they're just there as a treat for UWMA fans, but I'm enjoying them as well. But I do know the basic premise of UWMA, I suspect I would be more confused if I didn't know the whole second life thing.

- Also, I was not expecting this much of their story. It really feels like a side couple, rather than a couple whose story is over and done with. Which perhaps makes me expect that the makers intend this story to stand on its own - that Between US and UWMA are supposed to be parallel pieces, rather than a main show and its companion.

- There is a lot more attention to Pharm & Dean's story than I was expecting though. Which isn't a problem, I was just expecting them to be more background characters. And this is making me want to watch UWMA more than seeing the beginning of that show did.

- Aw, what a good friend Team is. And Win thinks so too. Yet again, I like the way Win looks at him.

- So far I have No Idea what Win & Team's story is going to be - what their conflict or obstacles will be. But I don't mind, I'm still intrigued.

- Is Tul played by the same actor who played the horny roommate in Love By Chance? If so, he's certainly been typecast, poor guy. I did like him in LBC though.

- They finally interact! I love how Win is always tracking Team with his eyes, while Team remains basically oblivious to existence. Ignoring him, not in a mean way, just in a only aware of him as a generic swim team leader way.

- Ouch. The make up artists here are good.

- Win. What is your deal? You obviously have a crush, why are you so mean to Team to his face? I am Intrigued.

- Dean comes across as such a weirdo, omg.

- Interesting that it feels like In learning more about the setup of Dean and Pharm's relationship than about Team & Win's. I admit that I'm getting a bit impatient with it. Part of the reason I dropped UWMA is that I didn't find Dean's actor that compelling and I still don't (so far, that could change).

- Ah, some insight into Team: "You never let anything be important to you!" I do like his and Dean's friendship.

- Um, WHAT is Team's friend (I can't remember if he's A, Bee or Sea) wearing as a pendent? It looks like a piece of fried chicken.

- oof this porn watching scene is so awkward. Poor Team. It does all feel realistically adolescent though.

- Ok, wow, I was not expecting THAT. I like it though.

- on shit, and Team's following him!

- oh I really like this sex scene. See BL, consent is sexy. The way that Win, keeping tight rein on his very obvious desire and arousal, makes sure that Team wants this, that he knows what he's doing. It is Very Hot. And their chemistry is fire. I also like how cool kid Win has his post-shower fluffy unstyled hair, making him feel much more vulnerable.

- I don't know if it's intentional, but I like the contrast between Pharm and Dean's literally destined love, and this thing between Team and Win, which feels like it could be any college hook up. Yes, Win has had his eye on Team for a while, but as far as I can tell, Team took little notice of Win until his porn induced horniness drove him into Win's arms. And Team I really don't think was planning this, he just got aroused by win's arousal and gave in to temptation. I just like the arbitrary feeling of it against the backdrop of the heaviness of fate.

- I still don't know what their story is going to be. And honestly, if I wasn't being an intrepid reporter I probably wouldn't even try to figure it out, I'm just intrigued by them and their dynamic and content to see where it goes. But since I am doing these reports, my first guess is that they're going to continue to hook up in secret, outside the bedroom Win is going to pretend Team doesn't matter to him, and Team will slowly fall in love and get hurt by this. I'm not very attached to this theory, but it's the best I've got so far.

- Thinking about it, so far I actually know very little about Win and Team as characters. But the actors have made them both compelling enough that I'm intrigued, and want to know them. I feel like my initial impression of Win as "cool kid" is probably correct, but I'm not so sure about Team as "chaos boy." He seems a little more organized than that, a bit innocent but not too naive, kind but not saccharine. He seems a bit of an average everyman in fact, but not in a boring way.

Ok! That's it for now. I probably should go to bed, but I want to watch episode two instead. The nice thing about starting a few weeks behind is I don't have to wait.

#between us #between us the series #Doing It For Science #does between us make sense without uwma? one intrepid reporter is about to find out. #gillianthecat reacts to bl #kind of like liveblogging #edited to fix some of the strange typos that i missed #sorry to those who already reblogged #between us ep 1

[tuliptyper]

Oddly Specific Thomas Hewitt hcs;

TW mention for canon typical violence/cannibalism but also mentions of mental illness, suicide, bullying and general poor mental health. also nasty gross nail gunk

also these are long and wordy and not proofread sorry hehe

- neurodivergent, probably ADHD but it manifests in a way that he constantly second guesses his diagnosis bc people say he doesnt 'act like it' (projection? huh? idk her)

- dry asf hands because he cleans them a lot because he doesnt like feeling dirty but doesnt have much time to wash his face/shower. he hates his nails bc he doesnt know how to get the gunk out and accidentally stabbed his nail bed tryna clean them with a tooth pick

- loves his mama but he wishes she understood him better. growing up mute and being bullied by pretty much everyone, hes grown so fragile without even knowing it. sometimes he wishes he could peer into his mothers mind and tell her how he truly feels.

- i think he has some sort of relationship with self punishment. not really sh in the typical sense but he feels he deserves to be overworked to the point of sickness, he doesnt like to rest or treat himself. he gets tense when things are peaceful for too long and he feels the need to bully himself relentlessly. its awful :(

- living in an environment where hes essentially the breadwinner, bodyguard AND punching bag with no refuge to run to is incredibly hard. if it weren't for the guilt and his dedication to his family, he..well...i think you can guess the rest. (someone go get this guy some prozac)

- if he was introduced to them, hed love fairy tales. even though he was pulled from school and had very litle encouragement to persue his hobbies aside from sewing, hes a curious man who enjoys learning. fairy tales give him insight into past culture (and they also satiate his desire for romance. sigh ❤❤) ((call him your prince, he would actually get light headed from all the butterflies))

- should he ever get a taste of freedom, be it a particularly good experience with some strangers or seeing some pretty scenery on the road, he will chase that high Forever. he craves normalcy in its most wholesome form; saying hello to coworkers, picking up groceries, maybe taking his dog out for a walk and getting take out when hes tired. Hoyt knows this somewhat and makes sure tommy doesnt persue that desire with some nasty words and manipulation. ((literally grab his hand, run away into town and dont come back. discreetly send a check to mama with a small house on her name a few blocks down and leave the other old coots to rot))

- i gotta agree with the metalhead hc, he would love stupid ass nu-metal! dad metal, if you will. 2000s era heavy rock and anything with some angry lyrics. hates headbanging though, simply bc he loses his balance more than hed like to admit and also knots are fucking annoying to comb out with his curly hair. BUT ALSO his guilty pleasure music would be really sweet piano music or film soundtracks,,,its his inner romantic

- Thomas has like...hot dad personality..HEAR ME OUT omfg he finds puns funny, twirls his keys like a DAD and DIYs everything. he makes a lot of furniture, clothes and miscellaneous trinkets in his spare time. he needs an etsy shop ASAP

- but also hes such cute goth boyfriend material omg, he'd let you play with his hair, even braid or dye a strand if youre lucky! matching outfits kill him because he loves being yours. your hot goth husband. hell, he'll wear the bedazzled 'His/Hers' t shirt you got from the flea market, at least it fits him!

- dont send him to the gym, hes either the reason membership sales skyrocket or skydive ( they either see him and think 'i want to be him' or 'ill never be him' LMAO). unintentionally, hes a menace at the gym bc hes just generally so strong from all the physical labor back at the farm house

- i think he'd go vegetarian aside from those ready to eat rotisserie chickens you get from the supermarket (listen...i smash a whole chicken with a side of rice and corn like nobody's fuckin business)

#girl help idk what this is #im just..i love him so much #thomas hewitt x reader #slasher x reader #thomas hewitt #tcm the beginning #thomas hewitt x y/n #leatherface x reader #mizu writes

[fbfh]

spider man!leo x reader hcs

wc: 1.1k

genre: fluff, crack, angst if you squint

au: super hero au, spider man!leo, mcu crossover

pairing: spider man!leo x gn reader

warnings: brief mention of tragic backstories, general spider man fare, spider man kiss, I can't decide if spiderman is one word or two, not proof read

song rec: I think I used this in another spider man realted post but spider man too: 2 many spider men - the unbreakable kimmy schmidt soundtrack, hero - monsta x, this might be obvious but when can I see you again - owl city, and metropolis - owl city

a/n: this is mostly an outlet for the 24/7 looping footage of Leo flying around as spider man I love him fuck me with a chainsaw

tags: @avashaye @perseajohnson @afidiofobia @thatmultifandomloser @yelenabel0vaswife @almostjollypizza @Fictionalcomforts  @lizziebitch33  @jacksondeeznuts @justbookworm @urmum-xoxo @Asunnyhunny @shellosisbae @anything-forourmoony  @i-dont-remember-a-lot  @chasingpj @1dpjohoohp @mystic-writings   @babiesimagines @dreamerball  @hopefullhearts @thatawkwardlittlefangirl @dustyinkpages @yesv01

After a devastating tragedy left him with no parents and his world completely upside down, Leo Valdez, a dorky teenager from Houston somehow finds himself living in queens new york with his aunt

As if this wasn’t enough changes to handle all at once, it’s also easily a week after he got bit by that stupid spider before he actually notices he has…

Superpowers, he guesses

He really has no idea what else you’d call it

He thinks it’s really fucking annoying at first

Most notably it made all his sensory issues way worse

For a while he views it as another annoying inconvenience he has to deal with 

It’s when something happens

When there’s a minor robbery like 2 blocks away from his apartment that he realizes oh shit

Wait

I could do something about that

He can prevent bad shit from happening 

He can stop people from hurting 

Which is all he's ever wanted

With several all nighters and a lot of hyperfocus he comes up with a costume, weapons, even a name

His grades in chemistry class suddenly shoot up

Pun intended

So he can figure out how to make webs

Once it clicks he's like how has no one else figured this out yet

It's so obvious

He gets his homework done so fucking fast

Cause he also has to learn to sew for his diy costume

Settling on a design was hard

He learns he is definitely not a fashion designer

Eventually he decides to pay homage to his favorite vine 

Once this boy hits the streets???

It's on

He's so good at adventuring and super heroing and saving people 

It's easily one of his two favorite things

The other one being coming up with new weapon ideas 

It takes so much self control not to use webs as a stim toy 

He is the CE FUCKING O of battle banter 

You thought the other spidermen were quippy??? 

Leo is 100000 times worse 

He basically can't shut up during a fight which has made for some hilarious news footage 

There are compilations on YouTube of spiderman roasting criminals for 3 minutes straight, spiderman being an icon for 7 minutes straight

And his personal favorite

Spiderman being the face of gen z for 11 minutes straight

Whenever people at school notice he's way more distracted than usual

Which has been a lot more lately

He's like yeah just adhd things lol

Instead of having to tell them that he’s a semi nocturnal crime fighting arachnid lad

When he’s finally contacted by Tony Stark?????? He loses his fucking SHIT

He has encyclopedic knowledge of Stark industries 

So when Tony motherfucking Stark takes one look at his web shooters and starts praising him

Tells him he has real potential, he’s onto something kid

Then tells him he wants him to start training to help the avengers and possibly eventually become part of the team???????

God he loses his fucking SHIT

His aunt is so fucking proud of him for getting an internship with tony stark

Every time he either comes up with something or works with Tony on something Tony’s like wow

Maybe I should start an actual internship for gifted stem kids

Cause this boy gets so much serotonin from being a friendly neighborhood spiderman

Whoever you are to him

His best friend, Tony’s kid that he definitely has a crush on, the cutie from his compsci class, the hot barista he always hopes he’ll run into

Even just a civilian who’s paths happened to cross

Jesus he’s down bad for you so fast

If you know him out of costume he probably gets really nervous to talk to you 

In spite of how much he wants to

If you don’t really know him outside of the whole super hero thing

Oh my god

He will show boat and pull so many stunts as spidey 

Cause god damn he wants to impress you

If you don’t already know his secret

Motherfucker the temptation to tell you is so fucking strong

Regardless of how or when you find out

You end up being his most trusted ally 

He’s rescued you more times than either of you can count

The feeling of him pulling you close to his chest just in time to keep you out of harm’s way

Especially by yoinking you closer with his webs?????

Adorable!!! Heart fluttering!!!!

And god after a battle or fight when you’re all (probably) back at stark tower

And he just pulls off the mask

And his hair is all mess????????

His cheeks are all flushed???????

So fucking cute

God he’s so fucking attractive

It’s not fair

And fuck me he’ll spider man kiss you every chance he gets

You’re walking home one night and you pull out your phone to check the time

You get a glimpse of the one and only spider man lowering himself upside down behind you

You put away your phone

“You know, you should really be more careful walking home. All the creeps come out at night.”

You turn to him, gazing at his red and blue attire, the eyes of his mask moving as he talks

You suppress a grin

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want some weirdo in brightly colored spandex to follow me home, and sneak up behind me, and start talking to me out of nowhere.” 

“Yeah, that guy sounds like a real freak.” 

“Oh, definitely.” You muse

“You know, I don’t think a thank you from saving me from hooligans when I’m out in the middle of the night, spider man, would be out of place…”

You chuckle, stepping closer

You pull his mask up, pressing a warm kiss to his lips

He caresses your jawline, and you feel the sleek, textured fabric of his suit against your skin

After you eventually pull away, it’s silent for a moment

You’re taking each other in, being in this moment together, the noises of the city providing a familiar background track

He’s smiling, and you can see it, his mask still pulled up

“... that works too.” 

You both descend into giggles

He makes sure you get home safe

He usually does

You wave to him outside your bedroom window one more time

He reciprocates the gesture, then shoots a web onto a nearby building, zipping off into the night

You let out a sigh, watching him quickly melt into the darkness outside 

He may be your friendly neighborhood spider man

But you and him both know he’s really your friendly neighborhood spiderman

#leo valdez x reader #leo valdez #heroes of olympus x reader #heroes of olympus #leo valdez headcanons #heroes of olympus headcanon #marvel au #spider man au #god i have never wanted to kiss so BAD

[eugesounds]

See You in September

In the summer of 1966 I was 7 years old and spent most of my days wearing only a bathing suit and casually strolling the beach in Surf City, NJ. When I wasn't looking for cool stuff in the sand, I was either body surfing or "skim boarding" and just taking in all of the surroundings. I can still smell the Coppertone that the "shoebies" (a unique name used to describe summer visitors to New Jersey's southern beaches) slathered on. I can also still remember the sound of sea gulls as they hovered overhead ready to dive at any moment for a sand crab or an unguarded bite of unfinished hoagie.

Those days also included music blasting from radios and permeating the salt air, and whether you liked it or not, it couldn't be avoided. I carry many of those sounds with me still, The Four Tops - I'll Be There, Tommy James and the Shondells - Crimson and Clover, and The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love. I highlight these songs mostly because of the influence of my older sisters, who much preferred dance grooves and the sound of Motown over anything by the Beatles or Stones.

Last week I was reminded of the song See You in September, so I pulled it up and was surprised to learn that I remembered every lyric. The obligatory Youtube rabbit hole ensued and I was astounded that the '66 version I had in my ears all of these years (by The Happenings) was not the original and in fact, the song dates back to June of 1959 when it was written, recorded, and played on the radio in NYC all in the span of about a week. (Highly recommend this Wiki page about the song).

The original version by The Tempos, (a band out of Pittsburgh, PA) did not become a hit, but it does include a cool Latin groove and much the same melody and lyrics as the Happenings version. This version of the tune did have a slight resurgence in 1973 as it was included on the American Graffiti soundtrack.

There are also several other versions from the early 60's:

Here's The Quotations doing a crazy double-time "Doo-Wop" version with beefed up harmonies.

Here's Bobby Rydell's campy, shuffle-swing version with cheesy horns.

The Chiffons gave their version a harp.

Shelley Fabares kept the samba train rolling but added her swooning vocal slides... and an overused triangle. I mean, this ain't Ravel's Bolero right? So more than once is too much IMO.

And let's not forget Gerry and the Pacemakers adding the British back beat and picking up the pace a bit - pun intended.

But The Happenings version nails it for me, starting with a great drum sound and fills. Then there's the tight tambourine part (I loves me some well played tambourine), great overlapping harmonies, a solid yet understated use of horns, and a pretty cool bass line. This all bolsters a very Frankie Valle-esque vocal and for good measure, the single ding of a well-placed service bell!

I hope you'll give the song a play, and if you listen closely, you might be able to smell the shore. :) Have a great week!

#see you in september #Youtube

[vinjaryou]

29. What songs would be (or are) on a playlist for most if not all of your OG FFVII story material? Explain your choices if you want! (Also, I'm personally curious as to how your music choice may differ between AUs, if it does. See if the characters may have different "theme music" depending on the AU and how it plays - all pun intended - into who they are.) 💕

Questions for Fic Writers Meme

Oh good lord, this might be a lengthy, link-filled ramble, please settle in and don't mind the abundance of '80s music *cracks knuckles* Once again, putting under a cut to save everyone's dashes!!

I have certain songs for scenarios I have planned/written, if that makes sense. For the general more canon goings-on, I tend to harken to the game's soundtracks - for example, if I'm writing Aerith and Reilena walking home from the Sector 5 train station, I'll have Hollow Skies playing to get me in the mindset, with it flowing into a soft variation of Aerith's Theme, or if it's a scene set in the 7th Heaven, then it's a mix of Tifa's Theme melding into general bar ambience.

And then there's times in which the song and the scenario just. make. sense. to me. Like... this specific version of The Nightmare Begins is what I'm using for when I write his and Reilena's confessions to each other, before they sleep together for the first time. Does that make sense? In general, probably not!, because it's sad as hell and this song legit made me sob the first time I heard it on its own and not in the background of a Machinabridged episode. It still does at times, because it's so gorgeous and tragic (and I am biased, for this is Vincent we're talking about, lol).

BUT. Listening to it again, I can see them both sitting together quietly in the flowers at Sector 5, Meteor still overhead, with her softly telling her life's story to him, and the first swell is when she confesses; when the song restarts in a sense, I see him trying to gather his thoughts while responding to her as best he can, because he knows how he feels, but he still can't SAY it, and when the music swells again, that's when he murmurs her name, and when she looks over, he leans in and kisses her, letting that speak for him; she returns the kiss, they deepen it, with them leaning into each other, holding each other, and the song ends as they part and she asks him in a whisper if he'll stay the night with her.

SO THERE'S THAT, TOO. It's very vivid in my mind, and it fits for me.

Another song for them - well, for Vincent in particular, when he's trying to figure out his feelings for Reilena - is Whitesnake's Is This Love. I even used it as a title for one of the pieces I wrote... dealing with this very thing, lol.

(Still of the Night is another Whitesnake song that makes me think of them, but this is when they're having a spicier, more Chaotic time~)

You might have seen my mini-ramble on the bird app about a feral Aerith telling a summon to tear a monster to shreds for hurting her friends? In This Moment's Big Bad Wolf is what gave me that imagery, and it's also a song I'm using as the backdrop for a miniseries I'd like to write of each member of the VII family going absolutely feral at some point during battle (if you click the link, there's a lot of flickering in the music video, so just listen to the song if that's better for you).

And then there's another miniseries I'd like to write titled "Good Night," and it would be about five (maybe six; five for certain) parts, each involving Vincent with someone, with the arc words in each piece being "good night," and just how good of a night it is... varies a lot (I'm sorry Vincent, I love you, I promise the final part is Very Good to you). Each piece has its own soundtrack, and fingers crossed I can get it started soon, as I have it outlined already, with each piece and song decided:

Part 1 is Come Undone, by Duran Duran. Part 2 is I Can't Make You Love Me, by Bonnie Raitt. Part 3 is both MONSTERS by Shinedown, and Mein Teil by Rammstein. Part 4 is Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne. Part 5 is both Is This Love, and Listen to Your Heart by Roxette.

...I don't think I answered this correctly, as I kinda just went on a ramble about music and writing and hi. Let me know if there's specifics you'd like, and I'll answer them as best as I can... and try not to ramble too much! ♥

(I really need to sit and make an ACTUAL playlist for my writings and the AUs, yeesh)

#asheanon #thanks for the ask! #as i notice you asked about songs differing for AUs and yes they do i forgot to ramble about that here i'm so sorry! #i hope this was entertaining though and that it made an iota of sense somehow ♥ #t h e m #vinrei

[watching-pictures-move]

Put On Your Raincoats | She's No Angel (Costello, 1976)

While this is not the best movie I've seen from Shaun Costello, it does exhibit some of his classic street level style. Of course we get the usual guerilla-style street scenes, with that sense of movement that gives his movies a certain jittery energy. But this one also opens with Alexandria Case talking on the phone, making references to Margaret Trudeau and Bianca (presumably Jagger), while looking down at New York City from her high rise apartment. High life. High rise. Get it? Listen, this is a glib visual pun for sure, but which other scumfuck pornographer is giving you juxtapositions like these? Joe Davian? Phil Prince? I don't think so. There are many rats in the gutter, but this one has more style than the others. And lest you think he's settling for just that punchline, he has Case make love to her psychiatrist boyfriend played by himself, all while we look out towards the city in the background.

He cuts between that scene and another sex scene between Marlene Willoughby and a clean shaven Ashley Moore, a tactic that normally sucks the life out of these things, but works well here because Costello lets both play out for long enough between switching between them, and also because the ladies are quite attractive and the guys are quite a bit more presentable than the average schlub in these things. (I should however note that the flatulent electronic beeps on the soundtrack are a really poor choice to accompany a doggystyle scene.) Costello himself has a much softer, more sympathetic screen presence than the scuzziness of his movies would suggest. Case I'd apparently seen before in A Night to Dismember, and while I do not remember the particular qualities of her performance there, at least one quality stood out to me here, namely that she's really freaking hot. (Sorry, I promised I'd be less thirsty in my reviews going forward, and I apologize for my moment of weakness in finding the porno lady attractive. I promise to do better.) And we get a fun hammy villainous performance with Willoughby.

The plot here concerns Willoughby and Moore trying to get their teenage stepdaughter Sharon Mitchell committed to an institution so they can steal her inheritance. An early scene between them has Mitchell arguing with Willoughby while the latter wears a see-through negligee. It is not a convincing portrayal of familial relations, although the movie declines to deliver on a sex scene between them. Willoughby tries to make the case for her nymphomania, describing in great detail a group sex scene between Mitchell, a friend and two ugly mustachioed basketball players. "She wants two cocks, doctor. At the same time. I mean, one cock might be enough for me, doctor, but she wants TWO dicks." Costello suspects something is up, and he can best be described as medium smart, smart enough to suspect Willoughby and Moore have ulterior motives, but not smart enough to question how Willoughby was able to witness this scene in such detail. He goes on to investigate, and Costello as he does elsewhere uses the procedural element to give the movie structure and forward momentum. The intended audience probably didn't care too much about the plot here, but it does make it easier to sit through. Like many of Costello's movies, the subject matter here is pretty distasteful, and any warmth is undercut by the sleazy lizard-brained punchline this ends on, but the ugliness is alleviated by the game cast as well as the "How do you do fellow kids" energy Mitchell brings to her role.

#film #put on your raincoats #movie review #she's no angel #shaun costello

[key-lime-soda]

If your ever feeling bored, or just want something to do,

I suggest you check out the YouTube channel PocketMonster Music. They used to post all the music from the Pokémon games, shows, and movies. Specifically, go listen to the original Japanese soundtrack from the anime. I originally thought it'd just be another collection of cute 2000s anime openings. But I was quickly proven wrong. Half the songs are very... bizarre. The other half are absolute BANGERS. A lot of them are both.

Some of the odd songs (still bangers though):

-Dochi Nyo (i believe the lyrics are comprised of Pokémon name puns)

-Kono Yubi Tomare (marching band shenanigans)

-Hyakugojuuichi (Professor Oak conducts a children's choir)

-Pokémon Harahara Relay, and its sequel Pokémon Haraharaharahara Relay (truly the only rapper Eminem is afraid to diss. It's also the only song without karaoke lyrics... go figure)

-Takeshi no Paradise (Brock singing to all u lovely ladies out there wink wink)

-Aratanaru Chikai (there is a very calm acoustic version and a hard rock version??? many ppl debate on which is better. personally, i like the rock one more)

Unfortunately, the channel discontinued during the X and Y era, but they still deserve some love. I used to listen to these songs all the time in middle school. Now I'm in college and they give me so much nostalgia. Please check out their channel, and sorry for the long post.

#pokemon #pokemon anime #the 90s and early 2000s were WILD #anime music #pokemon soundtrack #crack #man I love pokemon so much #professor oak #brock pokemon #pikachu #90s #2000s

[hazbinbossbrainrot]

You know you’re obsessed Hazbin Hotel when…

• You’re not just listening to the soundtrack 24/7 but also you know majority of the lyrics (honestly, for me it’s Loser, Baby)

• You know Angel Dust’s real name is Anthony (you can also differentiate between the two personalities)

• You know without a doubt that both Posion and Addict are SA (sexual assault) related songs

<> Seriously… this a pet peeve for me because other people joke about it with other characters — like Charlie, Lucifer, Alastor and even Husk to name a few — when they haven’t been SA’d.

Not to mention the “Ohhhs” and “ahhhs” of the lyrics were actually the sounds of pain/discomfort of being SA'd

• You realise that the Vees are just as bad as each other (there is no “oh that one is worse than the others���) and the fact that the other two indirectly participate in the ongoing sexual assault; for one Vox has cameras in Angel’ room (as key witness). For another, Velvette has created a love potion — along with Valentino— specifically for date rape purposes

• You noticed that Loser, Baby is basically not only Huskerdust’s love song (if you think about the visual aspects and the meaning behind it) but also the instrumentals played in 1x08

• You know that Angel Dust does actually have a venomous bite ~ which doesn’t kill anyone but makes them exceptionally ill and disoriented

• You know that Poison is basically a reprise of Addict (and you have the urge to tell people that they’re basically the same song and not to separate them)

• You can’t stop thinking about characters and their respective aesthetic (for example: rubber ducks for Lucifer, poker for Husk and the letters XXX for Angel)

• You realise that if Angel Dust hadn’t died in his 30s — in 1947 — he’d be around the same age as Husk (only 12 years younger so really there’s no “age gap” difference)

• You are a Huskerdust fan (subjective) since the pilot episode and absolutely get excited for episode 4+

• When it said “no balls” in Husk list of flaws in Loser, Baby you realise it was metaphorical

<> Which makes sense because in “Dad Beat Dad” he was terrified of Alastor when he had pissed him off

• You know that sinners are the only demons who are situated in the Pride and cannot go to the other rings

• You realise that Husk technically would be in love with Anthony not Angel Dust

• You know that Angel Dust — as a SA victim — it wouldn’t make sense for someone as overly-consensual as Husk to make the first move (so it’d have to be the former)

<> And no it even wouldn’t have mattered if Husk even asked permission if he could kiss him ~ I think he’s the type of guy to be “all in or nothing” if he wanted a partner (poker pun intended 🤭)

• You know that possibly (unless Viv changes things) that Angel was closer to his sister Molly than her was to his older brother and technically was a bully to Arackniss when they were younger

• There are certain words/names trigger you (ie husk, blitz, angel dust, Valentino ~ literally traumatises me now)

#better late then never i guess #it’s funny because it’s true #smallest details #constantly updating #mini theories #hotel hazbin #Spotify #SoundCloud #tw: sa

[airadam]

Episode 177 : Like Clockwork.

"Rockin' and rollin' like the myth of Sisyphus..."

- Anthony Cruz

More than any other month in the year, February is the one where we remember some of the greats that have passed on; as such, this mix includes tracks from J Dilla, De La Soul (RIP Dave), Big L, and Big Pun. The average ruggedness level is high, and we start off with a classic sample being used on a remix you might not know...volume up!

Mastodon : @[email protected]

Twitch : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Slum Village : We Be Dem (Atomic Dog Mix)

"Atomic Dog" is one of the most heavily-used samples in Hip-Hop, and with good reason - even in novice hands it sounds good, and with someone like J Dilla in charge, it sounds amazing! He has it twitching on the three on a beat it's impossible not to move to, and on the mics, the crew don't get too complex. It's only a short one, which I got on a white label of unreleased Slum Village cuts, but I think you can find it these days on some of the digital platforms. In my opinion, this mix wins over the original version!

The ARE : OH

You can hear the sound of a well-known Michael Jackson cut being atomised and reconfigured on this killer from the "Dem Damb Jacksons" instrumentals, which punches so hard that you realise why the track title is in upper case! The whole project, as you might guess from the name, is all MJ and Jackson 5 samples, worked to perfection by the man from Houston who you may also know as a member of K-Otix. 

De La Soul ft. Yummy Bingham : Much More

A single that deserved to be so as a standout from "The Grind Date", this starts off with an uncredited guest appearance by the DJ Premier questioning the commitment of some to the the Hip-Hop culture, before passing to the late great Dave (aka Trugoy) to handle the opening verse. "Using these minutes like I value the call" is a great analogy for an MC who understood more than many how important it is to say something when you have the platform to do so. J Dilla's beat is grand and imposing, and his re-pitching of the main sample as used in the hook wrong-foots you - it was originally sung by a man, but sounds like a woman by the time he's finished with it!

Sol Uprising ft. Emanon : Feel The Sound

Somehow I'd "played past" this one over and over again, due to it sharing a slab of vinyl with the incredible "Raach Ya Sol" on the 2004 "They Don't Know" 12", but having stumbled on it while shortlisting for this month, I think I need to find more places to play it! Sol Uprising is the union of Sci the MC and the awesome Stacy Epps, who is towards the top of my list of "Musicians I Wish Had Released More Material". Alongside them here are Emanon, with Exile (who you might know better for his work with Blu) on production, and Aloe Blacc on the mic. It's the records like this, the ones that slip under the radar, the ones that you sometimes take a chance on, that really make a DJ's record collection.

L.E.G.A.C.Y : More

Legacy strides over this cut from the "Legsclusives" album with so much confidence that you can't help but love it! 9th Wonder's beat from the heyday of the Justus League initially draws you in with the short sample that repeats throughout and his swinging drum track (with a different snare/clap than you might have expected), but that sneaky low bass really anchors it.

Kid Capri ft. Big Pun and NORE : Block Party

Big Pun is regarded as one of the greats in spite of him unfortunately passing away without a huge amount of recordings - his impact was that powerful. It's always a joy to realise you have a feature by him that might not be known to many, and so we land on this collab alongside fellow Latino New Yorker Noreaga, with the legendary Kid Capri on production. "Soundtrack To The Streets", on which this appears, was Kid Capri's 1998 album where he handled things behind the boards and brought in an all-star cast on the mics - being a DJ with his kind of pedigree, there were a lot of people he could call! 

Otis McDonald : One For Dilla

This could happily be played anytime, but as we're paying tribute to J Dilla this month then it's a perfect inclusion for the current episode. You can definitely hear the influence throughout, even as it builds from an initial relatively chilled loop to a more energetic second section before settling down again. This is great work from the "Summer" album.

NEMS, Uncle Murda, Dave East, Scram Jones : NY Is Killing Me

"City workers give up twenty years of they life and still can't afford to pay a mortgage in the Five Boroughs..." It's raw, it's abrasive, and it has a point! You might have missed this one from last year, but this Scram Jones-produced single has Coney Islands' NEMS and guests expressing their frustrations with life in modern day New York City. It's like a rawer, more serious version of J-Zone's "Bullshit City", which the longtime listeners will have heard back on episode 11!

DJ Muggs & Meyhem Lauren : Ready For War

There are many things I love about this track, one of the more specific being the sampled vehement assertions regarding the cost of the sound system :) Of course, the production from Muggs is dark and heavy as per usual and the man on the mic is one of my favourite MCs, Meyhem Lauren! The third in the series of Soul Assassins LPs was another star-studded affair that spawned a companion short film shot in the actual Death Valley - and that in turn spawned an original score from which this track is drawn.

Buccaneer : Bad Man Story

A dancehall classic that's been getting a lot of play from me recently, a gunman anthem on the Baddis riddim that can move any dance! This 1998 release is on "Da Opera" LP, which is well worth a listen, as well as being a big single and also popping up in the Jamaican crime film "Third World Cop".

Blak Twang : Online

Bringing it to the UK for the last tune in the segment, and one I hadn't played at all for a long time - long enough that only after recording did I catch a line that I felt more comfortable censoring. From the third Blak Twang LP "Kik Off" (following the originally-unreleased "Dettwork South East" and "19 Long Time", Tony Rotton gets busy on a Preemo-influenced Harry Love track.

Nicolay : The Specialist (Instrumental)

The Dutch master himself has blessed us via the medium of modern digital distribution with a collection of his old unreleased instrumentals, "Nice Chops - The Dutch Schultz Tapes 2004-2008", which absolutely still stand up today. You can hear his more contemporary material as a soloist and as part of The Foreign Exchange, but this is a great bit of nostalgia and part of a wider set of releases celebrating twenty years of Nicolay's music.

Method Man ft. Raekwon : Meth vs. Chef

Easily one of my favourite cuts from "Tical", Meth's debut and the first of the Wu solo albums, which somehow turns thirty this year... All the elements are here - raw beat, the infamous kung-fu samples (this time from "Ten Tigers of Kwangtung" and "Shaolin Master Killer"), and bars upon bars. Meth opens up before the bell rings to end his verse/round, and then Raekwon brings it home rough like Timberland wear, as he would himself say!

Semi Six : Silver Moon

No singing hook, no hook at all in fact on this single - just a constant lyrical onslaught by one of the finest MCs in the D. The intro is eerie, off-balance, and makes it sound off when you mix it, but as soon as it's over, the dark beat thunders in and doesn't let up until the death - props to the producer, fellow Detroit native AntBell!, for providing a suitable soundtrack for this one.

Mixmaster Mike : Bermuda Tri-Axl

The 2000 "Eye Of The Cyklops" release is so simultaneously chaotic and seamless that when I came to digitise it, the only way I could work out where each track began and ended was to look it up on Discogs and read from the track timings! The legend from Rocksteady DJs/Invisibl Skratch Piklz and also the Beastie Boys, whether on production or on the wheels, always walks that line between virtuosity and total anarchy in a way few can pull off. 

O.C. ft. Big L and The Lost Boyz : Dangerous The Sequel

I cut this one a little short as O.C's next verse isn't so much to my taste! I thought sharing this slightly different version of the Big L-featured cut from the classic "Jewelz" LP would be a good way to play a track you may not know while also including some Big L - like Big Pun, he sadly didn't have a long enough time with us to build a deep catalogue. Production is done by Da Beatminerz, who take one of the all-time classic samples and put some deep bump underneath it. This on the B-side of the excellent "Can't Go Wrong" 12".

[DJ Spinna] Jigmastas : Magnetize (Instrumental)

The drums are smacking, the bass is rumbling, and the overall vibe is hectic on this instrumental from the 2016 "Resurgence" album from this much-respected Brooklyn crew. I played the vocal version of this back on episode 91, which is definitely worth a listen!

Natural Elements : This Is Not A Drill

High-wire apocalyptic Hip-Hop, courtesy of one of the finest groups of MCs you can even think about finding anywhere. Over Charlemagne's dramatic beat, A-Butta, Mr. Voodoo and Swigga all tear it down on a single that suits the extremely serious times we find ourselves in. The original plan was to start the episode with this track...but how do you follow up after this kind of demolition?

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

Check out this episode!

[lornescaritas]

😭😭

#im obsessed #also love all the other name puns on the soundtracks #lost

[imagine-turtles]

I just really like headcanons, don’t judge me for sending like two huge forms in a row, please and thank you–

April is absolutely loaded, I don’t take any criticism. Her card was once declined and when she was told, her response was, “no it isn’t, try it again” with the confidence of someone who knew they were right and look at that, they tried it again, the money went through and she flashed them a wink. 

Casey used to play hockey when he was in elementary all throughout high school, his grandfather was the one that encouraged him to try out for the team. He has broken hundreds of hockey sticks since then and keeps every single one in a box in his room, he’s too emotionally attached to throw them away. 

Splinter has a sixth sense for anything stupid that his boys may be doing so it is literally impossible for any prank to ever be played on him because he already knows it’s going to happen. Saying that however, he’s been known to aid every single one of his sons in pranks on one another without the other knowing because he finds their prank wars hilarious. 

Michelangelo is absolutely horrifyingly bad at cooking and baking but he makes the presentations of his dishes so pretty that both April and Casey have fallen for trying a new recipe and deeply paid the price. 

Leonardo is so PICKY ABOUT LITERALLY EVERYTHING. NO ONE EXPECTS HIM TO BE BUT HE IS. His tea? He will literally make seven batches until he gets it just right. God forbid someone order a pizza that is even slightly different from his usual, HE WILL NOT TOUCH IT. His room? If a candle is even slightly to the left and not to the right, he will spend HOURS trying to get it right again. If it’s not perfect and what he likes, iT’S NOT HAPPENING. 

Raphael has a playlist for everything. Everything man, he has one for every single of his moods, he has a playlist for working out and one for kicking ass which are APPARENTLY COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS, IF YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE OF CALLING THEM THE SAME, YOU WILL REGRET IT. 

Please help Donatello, he runs completely on sugar, caffeine and anxiety 24/7. He is so soft for any kind of pet name, please give some to him? He’s the kind of person that will like squeak the moment praise is bestowed upon him and it’s adorable. 

Michelangelo always gives the best gifts and has such a gift for wrapping them, like I am impressed, sir, please teach me your godly skills. He’s also the one that tells the dad jokes, but Donatello is the one that brings out the puns and together, they exact revenge on their older brothers whenever they fight again over something stupid. 

Raphael can breakdance. That’s the headcanon, he can breakdance and he can waltz and he can tango and he binge-watches cooking shows and other reality television like Dancing with the Stars and other corny shit like that. 

Leonardo is really creeped out by birds. He thinks their eyes are beady and it’s weird that they don’t have teeth and how they caw and they usually mean death and all in all, they just scare him. 

Donatello is a musical theatre kid. I am heavily projecting on this man but he gives me such “i will listen to soundtracks and mime them and learn all the dances and it started with Hamilton cause it’s historical and i was interested and it slowly infected me so now everytime i yell at Mikey, all i can hear is the soundtrack of Be More Chill” vibes. 

April and Casey have dates at the museum because April is a big science dork due to her father being a scientist and her personal favorite is biology and even though Casey doesn’t know why gawking at bones and stuff in glass cases is fun, he does it because she always gets really excited over everything. 

~~~

PLEASE DON’T APOLOGIZE LMAO someone’s gotta pick up the slack around here while I’m slowly remodeling the bathroom.  Love that we’ve all agreed that Donatello is into musical theater!

Thank you again @writtenspacedust for the lovely content we really are feasting luxuriously 2nite.. 😍🐢

#tmnt #tmnt-submission #tmnt-imagines #submission #tmnt bayverse #leonardo #raphael #donatello #michelangelo #splinter #april o'neal #casey jones

[minghellafine]

Full interview below.

The first thing Max Minghella does when he joins our Zoom call is ask me about the weather. It wasn't just a conversational cliché though, he really wanted to know what it was like where I was. I tell him I'm in New York City, where spring can surprise you with a day that's colder or warmer than it looks. This particular day was chilly. "I'm always cold," he interjects, "I'm reptilian. My body finds a way to keep me cool." He shivered as he spoke, sitting in his sunny backyard in Los Angeles wearing a T-shirt. I checked the temperature right after our call. It was 80 degrees in L.A.

Despite any discomfort, Minghella is just really happy to be at home. Unlike the millions of people who spent 2020 in quarantine, he was working on season four of The Handmaid's Tale throughout the spring and summer."I'm sort of jealous of people who have this moment to pause and reflect," he says soberly. "Even with all of the trauma it's caused and all the things that obviously were detrimental, I know a lot of people who've had big life changes in the past year."

He acknowledged, however, that creating something in a time when everyone wished they could escape was ultimately a lucky thing. "There was a ubiquitous sense of gratitude," he adds.

Outside of the global pandemic, the dynamics on set had shifted — this season, his co-star Elisabeth Moss (or "Lizzie" as he affectionately calls her), was a director. "She was amazing on set," he explained. "Just very in control and it ran super smoothly. When I saw the episodes she directed, it just kind of blew me away. Her style — it's very cinematic and it really underlines the sci-fi elements of the show. It has a real kind of scope and confidence to it. I think she's a real filmmaker."

RELATED: Marvel's New Face Danny Ramirez Has the Range

Minghella's character Nick has an interesting arc this season too –  he's realizing his role as a senior member of the Gilead ruling class, but also still in love with June [Moss]. It's a complex character that challenges you as an audience member. He is the brooding love interest, and while you may root for him and June to be together, you also have to see him for what he is: an architect of a world that kidnaps women and uses them for childbearing.

What made the previous three seasons of the show even harder for viewers to digest was the fact that people so badly wanted to believe there could be a good guy defector — maybe even Nick — in a room full of bad guys. During those years, many people felt that the dystopian elements of the show were reflective of the nationalist agenda being put forth in the United States by the Trump Administration. So much so that a group of protesters famously wore Handmaid costumes to protest anti-abortion bills and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings. Without saying much about the parallels in the show — other than chalking them up to "pure coincidence," Minghella felt the Handmaid's Tale, whose protagonists are anti-Gilead, are "on the right side of history."  He added diplomatically, "Ultimately, I'm most proud because I think it's really great fiction."

I get the sense that the pursuit of "great fiction" is something that consumes Minghella. He's someone who appreciates art (he got his big break in 2006's Art School Confidential), and his parents are Anthony Minghella, the late award-winning director of The Talented Mr. Ripley, and actress Carolyn Choa. He loves details (see our earlier weather conversation). Even the way he talks about Los Angeles has a story-like quality. He tells me about how he knew when the city became his home after a feeling he got driving past the Silver Lake 7-Eleven. As he told it, I pictured it like a scene in an indie movie starring Zach Braff.

"I had this sort of pathological obsession with movies from birth. [My mother] worked for the British equivalent of the Motion Picture Association, so she would watch three films a day. By three or four years old, I was just kind of an obsessed movie person." It's his favorite movie, Beverly Hills Cop ("I think I saw 100 times by the time I was eight years old," he says) that inspired another big role he was working on during quarantine: Minghella stars as a detective opposite Chris Rock in the Saw franchise spin-off Spiral: From the Book of Saw.

"The movie was so serendipitous for me. I feel like I almost manifested it in my life," Minghella muses. "There's a line very early in the movie where we're investigating these crime scenes and we come to a grizzly one. My character looks nauseous. Chris's [character] says to me, 'Are you okay?' And my character says, 'Yeah. I mean I'd been dreaming about this since I was 12-years-old.' And that was a very kind of weird line because it's just true."

Now at 35 years old, Minghella is feeling settled. He is still a "film nerd" that gets giddy with each new opportunity, but he's less anxious about the results. Next thing on his list? Vacation.

"I'm hoping in May once the movie comes out I can run away somewhere."

Read on for his cheesy would-be campaign slogan, his fast-food weakness, and the time he escaped a tornado while working on a film with Blake Lively.

Who is your celebrity crush?

Mary Tyler Moore.

What's the last thing you do before you fall asleep?

I listen to 1950s radio shows. Usually Dragnet. I was researching a project in that period briefly and got sort of into the radio culture of that time. And now I find it incredibly soothing.

Favorite villain?

Hans Gruber.

Describe a memorable dream.

I had a recurring nightmare as a child in which my grandmother turned into a cat. So Tom Hooper's Cats was very traumatizing to me.

First album you ever owned?

My mother bought me the Top Gun soundtrack on audio cassette.

If you were required to spend $1,000 today, what would you buy and why?

I would do anything to help a distressed dog.

If you ran for office, what would your slogan be?

Some kind of tacky pun using my first name. "Take it to the Max," or maybe "Max on, Max off."

Name one place you've never been but have always wanted to go.

Easy. Japan. I went when I was one, but I don't think that counts.

What's the most uncomfortable outfit you've ever worn?

I did a film called Art School Confidential and I had to wear a beret and I found every moment of it truly humiliating. I remember being completely traumatized by it.

Describe your first kiss.

My first kiss was at a bus stop. I was 14 and I lied and told the girl that it wasn't my first kiss, but I think it was probably immediately evident that it was.

What's one dish you're always tempted to order if you see it on a menu?

There are so many things. That's the sad answer. French fries is the truth.

Favorite on-set memory?

I did a movie called Elvis and Anabelle with Blake Lively like 100 years ago and we shot in Texas. There was a tornado one night that forced us to evacuate the set and we had to sort of drive off in a hurry. I put on this song by The Knife called "Pass This On" in the car which is very dramatic and cinematic. The tornado was sort of in pursuit of the vehicle while we were speeding away. And it was just far enough that it wasn't life-threatening, but also a radical visual. That's one of my favorite life memories.

The Handmaid's Tale season 4 premieres on Hulu April 28, and Spiral: From the Book of Saw hits theaters on May 11.

Photographs by Emily Malan. Grooming by Sonia Lee for Exclusive Artists using La Mer. Polaroid Photos by Max Minghella. Special thanks to Polaroid. Production by Kelly Chiello.

#max minghella #the handmaid's tale #saw #spiral #elvis and anabelle #the social network #interviews #*

[thegrimzuera]

1 + 4 for the ask game? I'm always down to hear more about Autumn! 😁❤️🧡

Ahhh you are the sweetest 💛 thank you!

Spoilers for my Kiribaku (Bakugou centric) fanfic In the Roaring Autumn are below the cut. If you haven’t read it yet, click the link to the story and take a gander! These answers are in response to this fanfic ask meme I reblogged yesterday.

1. If you had to create a soundtrack for your story, what songs would you choose? Why?

This is such a great question, and I’m going to interpret it more as songs that remind me of my story and the characters than as if I were constructing a film with background music.

The Lakes - Taylor Swift

This song is one I heard well into the writing process of In the Roaring Autumn, but it was one of those situations where I felt like my brain had been hacked and the guts of my story were spilled out in this gorgeous, cottagecore-esque song. The idea of running away into nature—away from society and the eyes that are always watching a little too closely—is so true to Katsuki’s desires in the story.

Lines like “I’m not cut out for all these cynical clones/ these hunters with cell phones” and “what should be over burrowed under my skin in heart-stopping waves of hurt/ I’ve come too far to watch some name-dropping sleaze tell me what are my words worth” stand out to me in particular. They really speak to Katsuki’s struggle to let go of his own past and all the devastation and guilt he feels because of it, and also the ways in which other people in his life (primarily Midoriya in this case) have tried to tell Katsuki what he meant with his own actions and what he must do in order to redeem himself.

And of course the fact that the narrator of the song isn’t escaping alone. They’re going to the lakes to look over cliff sides and be with the only person they trust—the only person who can understand the ways which they’ve been cast out. One might even say Kirishima is the “red rose” that “grew up from ice frozen ground.” Katsuki is escaping the bounds of society, but as the song says in its final line, not without his muse—not without Kirishima.

I Was an Island - Allison Weiss

I have no idea whether anyone else in the world knows this song or not (it could be a beloved classic or a complete unknown for all I know), but in my opinion it is THE quintessential Kiribaku song, and therefore it must be included. I have a feeling that it works in most any universe that includes Kiribaku, even (and especially) canon. But, I think of it particularly in regards to the last third or so of the story where Katsuki begins to pull back out of fear, deciding it’s better to avoid Kirishima altogether than to tell the truth about his struggles. The song deals with a lot of the same things Katsuki is going through—this idea that he was a loner and he liked it that way, and then Kirishima came along and changed all of that.

I imagine that Katsuki would particularly resonate with lines like “I was a fighter and I was so brave/ but I lowered my sword when you held me and swore you’d stay stay stay” “I was a wolf dear/ apart from the pack/ but you heard my cry in the dead of the night and told me that you had my back” and “I’m no good on my own anymore/ what did I do to deserve this/ what did you do to me/ baby come back, you know I don’t wanna be free”.

Medicine - Daughter

This song is so heavy and angsty and I love it for Autumn. I imagine that it could be from either/both Katsuki and Eijirou’s perspectives and they try to help each other out of unhealthy coping mechanisms and numbness. It’s all about how they both see each other’s worth and wish to communicate that. It’s about encouraging the best in each other, encouraging accountability, but also saying “hey, if you mess up once in a while, that doesn’t change who you are and what you’re capable of”. The opening line starts it off right for me “Pick it up/ Pick it all up/ And start again./ You’ve got a second chance/ You could go home/ Escape it all, it’s just irrelevant.”

Don’t mistake my brevity for lack of love for this song. I just thing the song really speaks for itself. If somehow you haven’t heard it in the blessed year of 2021, please go listen now! It’s one of my favorites.

That’s enough songs I suppose 😅 considering I rambled so much.

4. What are your main character(s) motivations? What do you consider their main drivers?

This question actually made me pause! I think because it’s been a while since Autumn ended and I want to get it right. At the time of writing I was very connected to Katsuki as a character, so while I didn’t necessarily ever put this into words, I definitely knew his motivation. I’ll start with him and try to put myself back in his shoes for a moment.

Katsuki’s motivation more than anything else, I think, is to feel safe. There may have been a time when he wanted to be the best, but we come into his life at a point where he’s kind of thrown his hands up and said “Fuck that bullshit!” It’s something that Katsuki realizes is out of character for himself—so out of character that he no longer knows how to function. He’s living his life on the run in a way, choosing isolation as a means of protecting himself from things that he sees as threats to his well-being: consequences, human relationships, the wrestling team as a whole, and the concept of processing his trauma. We see him build wall after wall throughout the story, but we also see Kirishima peeling those walls away brick by brick. Soon enough Katsuki stops looking at Kirishima as a threat to his safety, and he begins to see him as a help to his safety. It’s a beautiful change, but through it all Katsuki’s motivation stays the same. I would say even with the lessons that Katsuki learns and the ways he grows, the moral is never that he was wrong for prioritizing his mental health and well-being. That was very important to me.

Kirishima’s motivation is a little more difficult for me to pin down (haha, wrestling puns), especially in hindsight. I think I’m looking for some sort of deep or abstract answer when in reality, the thing driving Kiri is the desire to be good. He’s made some poor choices in the past, and they were choices he knew were poor even when acting them out. It’s something that weighs heavily on him—something that has altered the way that he lives his life in a very permanent sense. Kirishima wants to do the right thing; it’s the reason he’s so willing to examine Midoriya’s actions and motives when (as Katsuki mentions) everyone else sees Midoriya’s gentle demeanor and assumes the best in him. It’s also the reason that Kirishima emphasizes Katsuki’s own goodness to him. Kirishima knows what it’s like to feel less than, or to feel that you’ve fucked up so supremely that you have no honor at all. Not only does he want to prevent Katsuki from feeling those things, he actually views Katsuki as the morally superior between the two of them and looks to Katsuki as an example of authenticity, honesty, heart, and goodness.

Thank you for sending in these lovely questions! It was so fun to recall where my brain was at the time of writing this story and in some ways examining it from a deeper perspective. I really need to dedicate more time to writing my upcoming fic because CLEARLY I have the urge to spill a lot of words into the universe right now.

#sorry this took so long to answer #I rambled way too much and was trying to type it up at work #the format always looks weird when I paste from my notes app oops #ah well #kiribaku #bnha #Bakugou katsuki #kirishima eijirou

[stevenuniversallyreviews]

I don’t need you to love me, I love me

I’m gonna miss writing about Pearl.

As the loneliest Crystal Gem, a loyal servant who became a fierce ally, then a spurned lover, then a grieving survivor, Pearl’s story is about discovering who she can be on her own terms. Like Steven, she believes that her value comes from being valued, but unlike Steven, she was literally programmed this way and has an even harder time breaking loose, so she starts off at the toxic level of selfish selflessness that threatens to consume him, directed towards someone who’s been dead for years. She defines herself by her relationships, but struggles with all of them because she only understands a dynamic where one person is superior and the other is inferior; as such, her life is an endless evaluation of whether she’s worse or better than the people around her, thus whether she should be deferential or condescending. Her problem goes beyond not knowing how to develop loving relationships with equals: she doesn’t know how to love herself.

But she changes her mind.

“We need to talk about us.”

The first act of Change Your Mind (which lines up nicely with its first quarter) sets the stage with Blue and Yellow both converting to Steven’s cause, and while compelling, it’s appropriately intense. That intensity gets even higher as the episode continues, but this is still a big finale, so it’s about damn time for some fanservice.

After a quick “go to your rooms” to reinforce that White Diamond is the Diamonds’ mother more than their older sister, Connie gets the body part pun train rolling: “face-off” will soon be followed by “did you have a hand in this?” and “lend me a hand” (which earns a chuckle from Blue), Pink’s legs succumb when Steven takes a knee, and getting into White’s head becomes the primary goal of the second act (so all of this second quarter and most of the third). Still, the levity seems fleeting before two glints in the sky bring us the one-two punch of Bismuth leading the charge and Lapis and Peridot showing off their threads.

Bismuth fits right in as the leader of the B-Team, as beyond her seniority she’s clearly more competent at running a show than the other two (see: The New Crystal Gems). But her reverse electric guitar soon cedes to a glorious harmony of Lapis and Peridot’s themes as we see their new forms: Lapis gets pants and sandals, and Peridot gets ridiculous shades and a trashcan lid, the perfect adaptation of Static’s saucer for the Crystal Gems’ resident raccoon. Peridot goes ham with three stars, while Lapis wears a subtle dark blue variant that includes all five points if we count her legs. For a moment, everything is right in the world.

Their timing couldn’t be better, and not just because we need some stress relief. Steven begins the finale with one friend on his side, then he gets two Diamonds on his side, and now he has three reinforcements on his side, and this growing group of allies all represent what the Big Three Crystal Gems can’t: the family that Steven has chosen, rather than the family he grew up with. These relationships are all a result of his effort, whether going out of his way to befriend Connie or winning over the five former enemies that now stand at his side, and together they‘re one huge reminder that you can reach people if they’re willing to be reached. White Diamond isn’t a villain because she’s cruel, she’s a villain because she quashes any effort to change her mind.

Furthermore, seeing Lapis and Peridot  in particular next to a pale, prejudiced, recently-discovered member of Steven’s extended family who disagrees with a parent’s name change evokes that other long episode where Steven went out on a limb to change someone’s mind, and the comparison does wonders for putting White Diamond’s bigotry in perspective.

I’ve already made my defense of Andy, but in short, his irritable first impression masks how open-minded he ends up being. Sure, he has some lousy beliefs, but he’s willing to sit down with folks he disagrees with and try and look for ways to either compromise or straight-up be convinced that those beliefs might be wrong. On its own, Gem Harvest could be read as a little too hopeful, especially as it came out weeks after the 2016 election gave proud bigots the White House, but next to Change Your Mind it expands on the finale’s message: keep an open heart and mind, because people can surprise you if you give them a chance, but don’t let yourself be a doormat in the process.

White Diamond would never have come to the Crystal Gems’ table. She still hasn’t even shown up in person since Legs From Here to Homeworld, using a warped version of the same delegation Steven practices in his talks with the Diamonds: he helps others bring their individual experiences to light, showing that his position isn’t unique, while she blots out their individuality and replaces them with her. Blue and Yellow’s contrast has been a plot point for far longer, but Pink and White (and now Steven and White) are an even starker pair of foils, divided not only by personality but by size and age.

Knowing how hard it will be to reach White, Yellow and Blue again suggest that Steven and the Crystal Gems bail, offering their own ships now that Pink’s is unavailable. While this shows how profoundly they believe in him, it again reveals how unfamiliar these two are with being “good.” Beyond the plan only delaying the inevitable (White Diamond for sure could send more troops to Earth in this scenario), Steven points out that his mother failed in both of her identities to confront the problem in a healthy way, and continuing to avoid it will mean it never gets solved. Rose is still a progression from Pink and Yellow and Blue, as fighting for your beliefs addresses the issue more directly than running away, but Steven in turn is a progression from Rose.

Then Connie’s opening words in Blue and Yellow’s conversions pay off. This time she’s the one ending the conversation, and she’s gained enough of their attention that they don’t write her off as a blathering human. Steven never got to meet Rose, rank-and-file Gems don’t have parents, and White Diamond seems to be the root of it all, so Connie is the ideal voice to reach the Diamond Sisters: she’s the only other person on the planet with a living mother. Where Dr. Maheswaran at her worst once stood in for Yellow Diamond, she can now represent the bigger fish, both in her similar brand of maternal tyranny and in the hope that her attitude can change after a good talk.

And just as Connie takes over Steven’s role as the big finisher for Blue and Yellow, Steven takes over Connie’s role as the voice introducing bigger voices now that it’s time to face White. He works with his aunts to bring his grandmother to a standstill—not by beating her statue-like ship into submission, but by joining the arm-ships to the body and completing the picture—and says his piece briefly before ceding the floor to a pair that White has victimized for far longer than the past week or so.

I love that Yellow is the first to speak, flipping the Diamonds’ conversion order and subverting the notion that the more emotionally open Blue might take the lead. This isn’t just a matter of clarity, but bravery, and Yellow has always been the more confrontational of the pair. It’s also that much more impactful to see Yellow push past her fear and allow herself to be vulnerable, given how hard she’s worked to maintain her air of stoicism. Patti LuPone’s raw power has served the character well, and she keeps up the same petulant energy that saw Yellow dishing about White in Familiar, but now she funnels all of it into a stirring argument against the exacting nature of Homeworld society. And because Yellow helps pave the way, Blue can deepen their point by defending Pink’s role in the quartet and detailing how White’s orders have caused the whole family to suffer.

Steven bookends the Diamonds by suggesting that White can start helping everyone by helping her daughters. Then White shows what kind of “help” she’s willing to provide.

Pink’s former pearl was already proof that White Diamond has the power to possess others, but it’s another thing to see it in action. The whole episode so far has been about building up hope again after Steven is knocked down by Homeworld, but all it takes is one agonizing glare to send everything backwards. Blue and Yellow are even worse off than they were before, and as they’re brought into White’s fold, their arms follow suit. White drops the Crystal Gems and lets them fall, then Steven drops the Crystal Gems and dives after them.

As he slides down alien architecture on his shield, the soundtrack gives a nod to the theme song to prepare us for more fanservice. Now that White has made it clear that talking isn’t going to get us anywhere, it’s time for more action. Now that we’ve established the importance of Steven’s chosen family, it’s time to reconnect with the family he was born into.

Amethyst is first, because of course she is. She’s usually the quickest to reform, and she’s the only Gem that Steven has fused with, so Smoky Quartz is the best start if the goal is reeling off three fusions in a row with a growing sense of excitement. Smoky’s theme heralds this new development with glee, evoking the pure joy of seeing a new fusion from Earthlings as it becomes clear what the show is doing. Fusion has recently featured as a stand-in for marriage and an act of rebellion, but now it represents familial love, and doubles as an elegant plot device to get the poofed crew back in action. The wonder of fusion has always been that beyond whatever metaphor it currently serves, it’s also just a really neat piece of magic that lends itself to awesome visuals, and this whole sequence revels in the glorious spectacle.

Pearl is second, because we’ve already seen another version of Rainbow Quartz, so the biggest reveal is bound to be the Garnet fusion. Rainbow Quartz 2.0 blends the old with the new, immediately showing off the latest clever fusion of weapons (a shield and a spear into a parasol) and introducing a blue jacket that will soon belong to Pearl. The drumkit/chiptune mashup of Smoky’s theme is replaced by a piano/chiptune mashup, and then this new fusion opens their mouth.

Of all of Steven’s fusions with a female or female-presenting partner, this is the one with a male voice actor, and it couldn’t be more perfect. Rainbow Quartz was the only one of Rose’s fusions that we saw, and Now We’re Only Falling Apart shows that she was the second-ever cross-Gem fusion after Garnet (that we know of), so she was clearly something special. Pearl’s romantic interest in Rose complicates matters further, as Rainbow Quartz is an embodiment of a deeply imperfect relationship. This is a character with a lot of baggage, but casting Alastair James puts a hard stop to the idea that this is the same Rainbow Quartz, even before we hear them refer to themself as “2.0.” After the literal nightmare that begins Change Your Mind and the figurative nightmare to come, it’s wonderful to have one more piece of evidence that Steven and Rose are different people.

Amethyst and Pearl, like Lapis and Peridot, get great new looks, and they’ll soon be followed by Garnet (after the commercial break). If this was just for the sake of fanservice, it’d be more than enough: it’s always fun to get outfit changes, and between that and the fusions (including Sunstone and Obsidian; again, after the commercial break!) we get a pleasant treat to sate us between the drama. But as always, the show finds a way to create deeper meaning in the magic.

The Diamonds look the same now as they did thousands of years ago, and one of the reasons why is that they’re unbreakable. Creating a new form requires poofing, which is a very silly way to say that the Crystal Gems have found a way to grow through pain.

Life will always have its share of pain. Part of growing up, maybe the biggest part, is figuring out what you’re going to do about it. The Diamonds react to pain by closing themselves off and letting their problems fester rather than addressing them head-on. But over the course of the series, Lapis and Peridot and Amethyst and Pearl and Garnet have put in the work to learn from their pain and heal, and because they’re literal projections of their true selves, they get a physical manifestation of that growth that can only come after weathering one more blow.

To be clear, pain itself shouldn’t be glamorized. It sucks, and it’s okay if your reaction is to take care of yourself rather than use it for Creative Fuel. But the Crystal Gems are what happens when you deal with your pain, and the Diamonds are what happens when you don’t. And because Steven shares the legacy of both, Steven Universe is about him helping others through their pain and Steven Universe Future is about finally confronting his own.

We end with the most frustrating commercial break of the three, coming right in the middle of the second act, so we’ll just keep on going with fusions and new outfits next time. But if we have to stop partway through a scene, at least we get a Monty Python Foot to stamp out the first half of Change Your Mind.

I Can’t Believe We’ve Come So Far

Hilary Florido is the only storyboarder with their own recurring segment in Steven, Universally. But every other storyboarder had plenty of opportunities to make a fully realized High School AU in their promo art, and none of them did, so that’s on them.

Florido is obviously more than her promo art, but it speaks to a specific level of nerdy passion that made her and longtime coboarder Jesse Zuke so dang good at Peridot episodes, starting with just their second collaboration, the iconic Catch and Release. From there they gave us Too Far and Log Date 7 15 2 and Barn Mates and Too Short to Ride and Beta and Gem Harvest, and Florido kept the ride going with Raising the Barn. Peridot would not be Peridot without Hilary Florido.

In terms of more serious clods, Florido is the only person to board all three Kevin appearances (Alone Together with Rebecca Sugar and first regular coboarder Katie Mitroff, Beach City Drift with Zuke, and Kevin Party with final regular coboarder Danny Cragg, who also stopped boarding after the movie). She gave us as Ronaldo at his worst in Rocknaldo and Aquamarine at her worst in I Am My Mom. And as if she needed further proof of her prowess with harrowing material, she gave us Alone at Sea and A Single Pale Rose.

It’s weird to attribute good Steven writing to any one boarder, given he’s in every episode but Jungle Moon and he’s generally pretty great, but Florido worked on some of the most important moments of Steven letting us into his deeper thoughts: she’s behind him getting real with the Cool Kids in Joy Ride, with Amethyst in Steven vs. Amethyst, and with himself in a rare monologue in Lion 4. His ability to discuss the uncomfortable subtext of Mystery Girl’s visual similarity to Rose is key to the magnificent tone of Last One Out of Beach City, and his introspection about his mother’s older identity is just as important to Familiar.

In short, Hilary Florido rocked at characters with rough edges, whether it was Peridot’s ornery id, a bevy of outright villains ruining everyone’s day, normally sympathetic characters doing dubious things, or Steven giving himself enough of a break to complain. She stepped up as a storyboard supervisor for Steven Universe Future, but even if she hadn’t, her legacy would be secure.

(Frankly it’d be secure even if the only thing she gave us was this.)

#change your mind #steven universe #su #steven universally #review

[blackidyll]

i'm like half a year (well, three months if you just count the PC release) late to the party but oh man, i underestimated the amount of emotion i would feel just looking at the start screen.

and again when i went into the inventory and put on the NEO Twister record on.

and then again at every single reminder or call back to the first DS game. the remixes of the original TWEWY soundtrack! the art sytle!! the amount of noise (pun unintended) i made when i found my first pig noise!!!

i just finished day 2 and i'm chuckling to myself the entire time, chaining noise battles and grooving to the soundtrack. a couple of random thoughts as i was playing through:

love the options for japanese or english audio. i love the japanese voices for neku and joshua so much so i'm literally playing it with japanese voiceover just for them (then i forgot to turn subtitles on so i had to struggle along with my mediocre japanese during the first big cutscene when rindo and fret first got thrown in the game).

always loved how accurate shibuya is in the game (first time i went to tokyo, i navigated shibuya with my memories from TWEWY and did a TWEWY landmark self-tour). I'm super over the moon that Shibuya Hikarie is in the game now! when i was in tokyo in 2012 when the building was new, i remember going to the very top floors to take panoramas of the shibuya crossing area, and thinking how very apt it would be if Shibuya Hikarie was the composer's penthouse or something... (pork city what?).

new battle system threw me for a loop and i died like 3 times the first battle against a grizzly noise. I tried to play the Genshin Impact way (mouse and keyboard) and that did not work well for me (also i kept trying to pan my view with my mouse ala~ genshin's battle style) and NTWEWY's way of locking on targets and the super warp when a noise dies and your target auto switches across the map made me quite dizzy. also i sucked at coordinating my pins and powering up the groove meter at first because i was so used to neku being able to use all six pins at once. but once i got the hang of things the NTWEWY's system isn't too bad.

did the composer get the idea of now having teams for the Game instead of just pairs because technically it was like a four-way pact+teamwork that helped neku get through week3day7's multiple bosses and then defeat the conductor's final form?

what a treat to have rindo and fret already working so well together from the beginning. i love their friendship a lot. i did lol at the nice trend of the main characters not knowing that they are dead when starting the UG Game though (hello my headcanon that the composer takes a fee from each player, and in return also takes the memories of their final moments of death/dying. i mean, how traumatic it would be for players to wake up in the UG and remember dying, esp if it was something gruesome like a car accident and they're bleeding to death etc). speaking of which, what were fret and rindo's entry fees...?

lol at minamimoto's shade lmao. i'm warming up to minamimoto a lot in NTWEWY. i loled so badly when he took out his loudspeaker lololol.

was that the composer speaking at the end of day 1 (located high up looking down, musing when "someone" would wake up)? was that shiki in her RG form watching eiji ouji (can't remember if that's day 1 or 2)???

shoka is a serious mood. i wanna be like her and just be like, i'm off the clock can you go bother someone else? kthzbai~~. sigh, if only... also i cannot remember the names of any of the other reapers who introduced themselves so far, ya'll are not as iconic and memorable as shoka

currently starting Day 3 and cannot wait to meet nagi and unlock the threads part of the inventory! i got all of neku's clothes as a purchase bonus which makes me laugh a lot because it's like someone CAT stole neku's headphones, shirt, pants (description of the pants even says that one button looks like it was handsewn on) shoes and music player lmao. no wonder neku in the trailers is always wearing questionable clothing

I love TWEWY so much. what a joy it is to have a sequel after so many long years.

#the world ends with you #neo twewy #by some miracle i've managed to avoid all major spoilers for NTWEWY (i've seen a couple of fanarts that maybe implied things #but overall i'm very spoiler free for the plot) #so i'm not planning to speedrun the game but will savour every moment of this journey #also paging my twewy anon I AM HERE I AM FINALLY ABLE TO PLAY THE GAME!! i'm so happy aglkajglkjaglkajg #also 99% of my questions up there are rhetorical i am aware most of my questions will probably be answered as i play further into the game #and i am very looking forward to discovering them! #<3<3<3 #*