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apexqueenie · 4 years

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I’ve Missed You (Shoto Todoroki x Reader)

Warnings: Swearing, A N G S T

Hey everyone! I’m super excited to post the first request I’ve gotten by @bubblegum-bnha

Thank you all so much for reading!! Enjoy da spiciness❤️

“Sh-shoto,” you breathed, “again…?”

Shoto brushed his lips down your bare stomach, nuzzling against your soft skin. “Mmmmm why not?”

“Shooooooo-” you said as you playfully lifted his face off you. You looked into his dual colored eyes and smiled, happy to have such a wonderful boyfriend. “I have a patrol tomorrow and...I’d like to be able to walk you know…”

Shoto sighs in defeat and lifts his naked body off yours, shifting to cage your head in between his elbows. “You know I love you, right?” he mumbled, slowly lowering his face to yours.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him into a deep and slow kiss, a complete 180 from the rough and passionate one you were having ten minutes before. He pulled away, leaving you nearly breathless. “I love you so much more Sho” you smiled.

He smiled back and sat up, allowing you to get off the bed and retrieve your clothes scattered around the room. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay the night?” he asked.

You shook your head no. “don’t wanna get caught by your old man again, remember last time?”

Shoto grimaced, remembering the ugly encounter the three of you experienced just a month ago. Endeavor caught you both (fully clothed) on the front porch, Shoto planting kisses along your jawline. Furious that his son was ‘tarnishing the Todoroki household’, Endeavor forbade Shoto from leaving the house for an entire week. He would hate to imagine what would happen if he caught the both of you naked. Sho still lived with his father just like his big siblings Fuyumi and Natsuo. As much as he wanted to move out into a place of his own, he was only 18. His pride wouldn’t allow himself to borrow his father’s money for a house. Instead, he bides his time, saving whatever he can from his hero career.

“Good point” he said, getting up to put on his own clothes. He watched as you slid your arms through your jacket and opened the window. You turned around, giving your lover one last ‘I love you’ before sneaking down to the roof of the second story floor. Shortly after he saw your figure disappear into the darkness of the night, he closed his window and sighed, walking to his door to grab a glass of water downstairs. That plan went to shit as soon as he opened the door.

Endeavor’s large stature filled the doorframe, radiating a mixture of anger and disappointment. “Shoto,” he said, dangerously calm.

“Father,” he replied, unfazed, mirroring the same glare he was given.

Endeavor sighed, bringing a hand up to his face to pinch the top of his nose, “I thought I told you to stop seeing that girl?”

Uneasiness hit Shoto’sentire body. Did his father find out about the two of you sleeping with each other? Relax, Shoto thought to himself, he didn’t say anything about that yet.

“I had someone install cameras around the property for...safety reasons…” Endeavor said, but Shoto could see right through the lies.

Shoto’s face scowled up at his father, “And?”

“And, I saw her come out of your window, Shoto. I understand you two do a lot of hero work together, but I think she needs to-”

“She has a name” he hissed.

“She-”

“(y/n)”

Endeavor sighed, getting more and more frustrated with his son’s behavior. Ever since the fire hero became number one in Japan, he’s tried to become a better father towards his kids, talking to them, spending time with them, giving them the attention they should’ve had a long time ago. Still, he hasn’t forgotten about making his youngest son the greatest hero in Japan. The Todoroki family has high expectations from the public, and with the elder siblings having no interest in hero work, Shoto was the only one to continue the legacy.

“Fine, I think that (y/n) needs to spend less time with you” Endeavor grunted, crossing his arms.

“Less time with me?” Shoto scoffed, “Enji, you don’t control me-”

Enji, not father, Shoto has struck a nerve. Endeavor’s face erupted in flames in a clear display of dominance as he glared down at his son. “Do you even hear yourself Shoto? You’re lacking at your job again, almost letting a civilian die the other day! Why? Because you failed to take your eyes off her when there were people in danger, (y/n)’s a hero for Pete’s sake! She can save herself when a civilian can’t!”

“I-“ For once, Shoto showed his father genuine emotion. His father was right, he did do everything that was just said. The guilt of that mistake crawling back to the pit of his stomach. “I thought the place was clear of civilians-” he started.

Lie. He knew there was one left, and he assumed the lady would run, but she didn’t. She was frozen with fear.

“And now you make pitiful excuses for your behavior?” Endeavor narrowed his eyebrows.

Shoto looked down, unable to say anything else in return. He remembered encasing the woman in ice before the debri could fall on her, but he could only do that because you were there, frantically pointing to the frightened lady before dodging one of the villain’s attacks. If you hadn’t done that, well...he didn’t even want to think about that. There was no excuse for his behavior. He turned his back on the helpless to focus on you, and that itself might as well be a crime.

His father sighed and extinguished the flames, placing a hand on Shoto's shoulders, “I understand that you love her Shoto, but this isn’t the first time this has happened. That’s four times this year so far, I can’t let you get distracted so easily when you’re putting civilian lives in danger-” Endeavor paused, bracing himself for what’s to come. He didn’t want it to come to this, but he had been pushed too far, so he said it.

One simple sentence, just one, was all it took to throw his son off track completely.

Shoto slapped his father’s hand away and stepped back in and anger. “What?!?”

“Shoto-“ Endeavor started

Shoto’s left side was the one erupting in flames now. “No, no I will not…I-“

“Shoto, it has already been arranged. Your mother has agreed to the arrangement as well.”

“M-mom?” Shoto stuttered, his parents actually agreed on something? The flames died down as he bowed his head, his anger dissolving into guilt. If his mom, his number one fan, had taken notice, then he really is screwing up.

“Yes, Rei is...worried about you Shoto, everyone is”

Silence.

“Of course, she supports this relationship anyhow, foolish if you ask me-”

Shoto couldn’t hear the words, it was all gibberish. He tried to get upset at his father, like he used to be, but he couldn’t. He knew it was his fault. Ever since he met you on the field, your quirk nearly outdoing his, he couldn’t help but awkwardly ask for your name, asking for a date, asking for your love. He was head over heels with you, the fire from your relationship burning brighter than what could ever be created through his left hand. But it was burning too bright, blinding him from seeing reality, preventing him from doing his part to protect the lives of others.

Endeavor looked at his miserable son, feeling slightly guilty from bringing this upon him so quickly. “You leave in 2 weeks son, I’m sorry but, this is what we think is best for you” he said before walking away to give Shoto space.

Shoto sat at the edge of his bed wondering what the hell he was gonna do now.

***

In the blink of an eye, two weeks have passed, and he couldn’t bring himself to tell you. You were always smiling with him. He'd rather see that for two weeks than dampen your personality with his own problems...but that backfired on him once he realized he had to tell you at some point, and that had to be soon. This was his last day with you, and you both chose to walk in the park at night, enjoying the emptiness and the cool spring breeze.

“Shoooooooo” you whined leaning up against your boyfriend’s arm “talk to me, you’ve been so moody today”. Your beautiful eyes looked up at his tired ones, pleading for an explanation. He stared back with sadness, striking anxiety in you, but you waited, giving him time to collect his thoughts. You thought you were prepared for anything...anything but this.

“I’m leaving”

Your eyes widened, “what? Waiiit, you’re just joking aren’t ya-“ but you looked at him, and he was dead serious.

“You- you’re done with me?”

The mood shifted quickly, the cool air surrounding you both turning ice cold.

“What? No, I’m leaving for America in about two hours. I love you more than anything (y/n), and I would never leave you”

You looked down at your feet coming to a stop in the middle of the pavement. That piece of news was just as bad as the last. Emotions flooded your system as you tried to process his words. America? That’s so far away.

“...For how long?” You asked quietly.

“Four years” he sighed.

Four years

Your stomach dropped as you struggled to absorb that information. “Sho, why-?” You started, biting back the tears that threatened to fall.

Shoto pursed his lips, unable to look you straight in the eyes, “My family said I need to focus on being a hero, that our relationship- that I was putting lives at risk-“

“And you agree with them?”

“Yes (y/n), I-“

“And you hadn’t bothered telling me you were leaving Shoto? You kept this from me until the last fucking minute when we said we wouldn’t hide anything from each other???”

“I didn’t have a choice (y/n)-”

“Of course you have a choice! What? Now that your daddy’s the number one hero, you have to-”

“My mother said it too (y/n)!” Shoto yelled. He never yelled at you, and seeing you flinch like that broke his heart. He reached out to you, your figure slowly backing away from him. “I’m sorry baby, I-“

“No” you interrupted, tears falling freely from your eyes “no, I understand, if...if your mom wants you to go then, then you should go”

Shoto tried to grab your arm, but you were fast, and quickly ran aimlessly through the park, ignoring your boyfriend’s cries for you to come back. You ran for what seemed like hours until you realized you were at the city limits. Away from the pain, away from the sounds of the city, away from Shoto- but the guilt was there, gnawing at your chest like a parasite.

You should have stayed.

You should have told him you love him.

You should have said goodbye.

But you didn’t, you let your emotions take control, you let your anger get the best of you and now you’re paying the consequences.

You placed a hand on your stomach, wincing at the physical pain that was catching up to you now that your adrenaline was gone

You should have told him you were pregnant.

It was too late now. Still, you ran back to his house, ringing the doorbell impatiently for someone to answer the door. Fuyumi answered, hair messy from just waking up, glasses sitting crooked at the bridge of her nose.

“(y/n)?” she blinked.

You grabbed her shoulders, shaking her wide awake. “Where’s Sho?”

“You uh, you just missed him, he was looking around for you for as long as he could but dad dragged him off to the airport” she said, clutching on to her glasses.

Shit

You fucked up big time, now he’s gone.

“Dammit” you cursed, sinking to the floor. “Fuyumi… I didn’t get to say goodbye” You wiped the tears from your face, but they just kept falling, one after the other. “He told me but...but I freaked out and ran away and imjustsuchafuckindumbassandijustwantshototocomeback-“

“Hush hush, let’s get you inside first before you catch a cold” she said, urging you inside. She made you tea and listened to you ramble on about Sho for nearly an hour. You really loved that idiot. After you calmed down a bit, she grabbed a hoodie from his room, handing it to you neatly folded. “Here, he’d want you to have this”.

You took the hoodie, holding it close as you breathed in his scent. “Thanks…” you sniffed. “I’ll get out of your hair now Fuyumi, thanks for listening to me”

“Are you sure you don’t need a cab home?” she asked, grabbing her phone to call a Todoroki family chauffeur.

You waved your hands “ah no thanks, its ok, my house isn’t that far from here anyways.”. You got up and hurried to open the door before she could insist any further.

“(y/n)?” she said. You stopped, the door halfway open. “You’re welcome to stop by anytime for tea”.

You smiled and whispered a thank you before embracing the cool night air again and starting the walk home.

***

For four years, you kept your child secret, careful not to make it known to the public that you were raising Shoto’s child without him. After a year of “hero vacation” you resumed your hero work as normal, re-designing your costume to cover your stretch marks. The public didn’t need to know the drama. The last thing you needed were headlines all over the news that Shoto had ditched you and… for him to read those headlines in America and forget about his studies to rush back to Japan.

Your beautiful baby boy was born with bright turquoise eyes, with the right one later reflecting the same color as yours. His soft hair bright red, definitely a Todoroki family marking. The physical similarities to Shoto ended there, the rest were attributed by none other than you.

You watched in adoration as your son sat on the floor, playing around with the action figures he received from “uncle” Deku and “auntie” Ochako, the only two who knew your secret. They were a godsend, regularly helping out with babysitting when it was your turn to go on patrols. Honestly, you didn’t think you’d make it this far if it weren’t for them.

You were so lost in your thoughts that you hadn’t realized that your son had put his toys down and was staring right at you.

“Mama,” he said, “do I really have a dad?”.

Your eyes widened, astonished at how perceptive he is...just like Sho. No matter how many times you tell him the man in the pictures is his father, it doesn’t change the fact that he isn’t here in the flesh.

You slid off the couch to join him on the floor, pulling him gently onto your lap. “Baby, of course you have a dad-“

“-where is he?” He interrupted, looking at you with wide eyes.

“He’s….he’s not here right now baby, but you’ll see him some day” you replied, giving him a soft squeeze.

He pouted, “you always say that mama”

“I know, but it's true. You wanna see videos of him again?”

His eyes lit up. He loved watching old YouTube videos of Shoto’s hero work, amazed at how he used both fire and ice to take down the villains threatening the city. He excitedly made his way to the computer, both his Deku and Uravity figures forgotten on the floor, to watch his favorite hero in action.

Dinner was approaching in about an hour or so and you needed to quickly get some grocery shopping done. Just fifteen minutes or so, he’ll be fine right?

“Alright, I’m going to go get food ok? You sit here, understand? No opening the door for anyone except me, ok?”

“And papa?” He asked, eyes still glued to the screen.

You looked back at him, the door already open “sure honey” you smiled, and closed the door, locking it from the outside.

Your shopping trip took a little longer than expected due to the long lines, and overall, it took you about half an hour to get back home. You were planning to make cold soba, your son’s favorite. Plain and simple, yet it put a smile on his face every time. You hummed to yourself as you unlocked the door to your house, no longer hearing the blaring sound of combat from the computer. Your son must be tuckered out, possibly asleep on the desk.

You opened the door, preoccupied with your thoughts and the groceries to notice your son wasn’t passed out like you thought. “I’m home” you said, slipping off your shoes.

“Mama! Look!”

You looked up, expecting to see a giant mess of toys instead when you saw-

“Sho…?” You breathed, unable to believe your eyes.

There he was, dressed in just a plain grey sweater, jeans, and the same old haircut he had four years ago. Despite all this, he was noticeably brawnier, his muscles becoming more defined underneath his clothing. You didn’t think it was possible for him to get even more handsome than he already was, but here he is. He looked up at you with the same look of awe as he sat next to your son, cross legged on the floor with the Deku action figure in one hand.

“It’s papa!” Your son exclaimed excitedly, running over to give your leg a hug.

You reached your hand down to give your son a pat on the back, not taking your eyes from his dad. “Sho, how in the world-“

“Uh, sorry for intruding but, Midoriya sent me your address earlier. Apparently, I’ve been sending letters to an empty mailbox for quite some time now” he smiled sheepishly, pulling out a stack of envelopes from his book bag next to him. “Are you...wearing my hoodie?”

So he has tried to contact you. You thought all along that he’d forgotten about you, that he found some beautiful American girl while he was out there. Relief washed over you until another question nagged at the back of your mind. He had a phone didn’t he? You opened your mouth to say something, but it was like he could read your thoughts.

“Sorry I wasn’t able to call you, they didn’t allow phones in this school. After all...” he shrugged, “my father obviously had to pick the most prestigious hero program in America”.

Your son’s eyes lit up, “America? Papa, I wanna show you a thing!” he said before scrambling off to his room.

“Sho…” you said as soon as your son left, your voice cracking a bit with tension. You dropped the bag you were carrying and took small wobbly steps towards your lover. He sat up on his knees, arms wide open to catch you as you lunged forward, wrapping him up in a giant bear hug. You couldn’t hold back any longer and let your tears flow, quietly sobbing Shoto’s name in the crook of his neck. He rubbed slow circles on your back as he gripped you just as tightly as you held on to him. He pulled away moments afterwards to catch your lips in a sweet kiss, releasing all the pent up feelings you thought you could lock away deep inside your memories.

“I missed you so fucking much” he said. He rarely ever swore.

“Shhhhh, don’t teach our son how to swear this early” you smiled, pressing a finger to hush his lips.

Shoto sat back on his hunches, pulling you into a cradle with his strong arms, “so he really is ours huh” he said, bringing his hands down to your waist, “...I’m sorry I wasn’t here for him (y/n)...”. He looked straight into your eyes, reaching to squeeze your hand “I promise, I’m going to be here for him from now on, I’m not leaving you ever again.”

He kissed you again, deeper this time, as if he was afraid you were going to disappear. All those tears, all those years of anger and frustration, they all melted away as you two sat there, lost in your own world.

“Papa?” your son called. You smiled and got off Shoto’s lap, letting ‘papa’ stand up.

“We’re getting married next week, just so you know” he whispered in your ear before placing a kiss on your forehead and heading to see what his little rascal had to show him.

“About time” you mumbled with a grin.

#shoto x reader #todoroki x reader #mha x reader #bnha #my hero academy fanfiction #my hero x reader #mha angst #mha fluff #bnha todoroki #anime x reader

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libra-araelty · 4 years

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Hello!

My name is Neo. I am a neurodivergent young adult from the United States.

Neurodivergent, you say?

Yes! Neurodivergent means my brain does not function the same way that a typical human does. However that does not stop me from living a normal, everyday life just like everyone else!

I have Asperger’s Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder (MaDD), and Dyscalculia, all diagnosed. It is also highly suspected that i have Bipolar Disorder and Trichotillomania (TTM), suggested to me by people who have either condition.

Being subject to these conditions, I have quite a few struggles in my daily life. I have sensory issues, so things like uncomfortable clothes and strong scents can make it so I’m unable to function at full capacity. If these sensory issues are pushed further and further, I am at risk of going into a sensory overload or a meltdown. That only happens very rarely for me, though.

My attention span is very flaky, and I have a difficult time staying on one topic for long periods of time. I need constant changing stimuli for me to not burn out while on a task. This ironically contributes to hyperfixation, an intense focus on one particular thing for a period of time. I know, that seems like the opposite of what I said before, but they are linked. See, hyperfixation isn’t exactly something that can be forced. When hyperfocusing, I may not be able to take myself out of that particular focus, and it consumes all my thoughts for however long my brain decides to hyperfixate on it. This contributes to my flaky attention span because instead of being able to force myself to focus on something im supposed to be doing, instead the brain goes “no, you’re going to think about this one thing and we’re going to make it very hard for you to focus on anything BUT this one thing. Special Interests (SI’s) follow a similar, yet more intense pattern. SI’s last much longer, if not lifelong for me. Theyre more prominent and effective on my life than my hyperfixations.

This is where MaDD comes into play. MaDD is a condition that can be adopted and unlearned. The DSM doesn’t recognize it as an official disorder, but it is a condition that exists in many people, especially people with attention or anxiety related contitions. MaDD shares a lot of traits with cases of addiction too, however this one is much easier to take control of and is not exactly harmful. The first word, maladaptive, can be broken in half: Mal and Adaptive. Mal means bad or poor, and adaptive means the ability to adapt. Maladaptive Daydreaming basically means daydreaming that causes poor adaptation skills. MaDDers are typically those who have conditions like Autism, AD(H)D, OCD, General Anxiety, and Dyslexia. Most people adopt the technique of Maladaptive Daydreaming in their childhood or early teens and if not caught early on, can last their entire lives. However, MaDD isn’t essentially a harmful thing. Like I said, it’s easily controlled. You may be asking, “what exactly is it about MaDD that causes poor adaptation? its just daydreaming.” MaDDers daydream at an average of 6 hours minimum a day. These daydreams are intense and easily triggered by everyday things like music, art, friends, even normal emotional events. MaDDers tend to use these dreams as an escape from reality but also a reality of their own, like a lucid dream but for your waking self. The daydreams tend to have intricately woven worlds, stories, chracters, and plots, all feeling just as real to the dreamer as the rest of life itself. MaDDers tend to daydream to escape real situations they may not want to be a part of and sometimes even cancel plans just to continue to daydream.

Why are you telling me all of this? This all seems so personal and insignificant to me.

This is FAR from insignificant to anyone. You may not be Autistic or a MaDDer or even neurodivergent, but I know that as a human being you still have lots of struggles, just like me. Ive told you all about my struggles and you’re probably thinking “wow how pathetic, they cant control their own brain.” Yeah actually, I can. Even if you weren’t thinking that, (which I actually highly doubt anyone was thinking that I just wanted to put an example of worst case scenario) what if I told you that no matter what, no matter who you were or what you were going through, you can still grab hold of yourself and make your life yours? You better believe it, because despite all the conditions I just told you I have, I have taught myself to make my own path in life and not let my struggles decide what my fate is. I believe anything is possible with a little patience and elbow grease, so thats why I have made this blog. It is sorta a combination of a journal, an advice blog, and an inspirational quote blog. I want to be able to share my knowledge of my identity and experiences in order to hopefully inspire someone to get up out of the hole theyre stuck in and make their life their own again! I love the conditions I have, and I use their benefits as my superpowers and dont let the negative aspects of them hold me back. They are a part of me and who I am and I will treat them with just as much love and care as I should treat myself, and hopefully you can treat yourself with the same amount of love too <3

With love,

Neo

P.S.

Heres a couple more fun facts about me!

My biggest special interests are Homestuck, Dragons, and literally just identity in general and have been special to me for almost 5 years now

I love music and my favorite artists are Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy, OneRepublic, Vance Joy, hi i’m Case, Of Monsters and Men, and Watsky!

I love to draw and play D&D! I love the character creation and I’m currently working on my own campaign

My personality labels are Sun Libra, Moon Sagittarius, Rising Taurus, INTP-T, 5w4, 541, Ravenclaw, Thunderbird, Seer of Heart, Dersian, True Neutral, Blue-Green Paladin, Firebender, and Skywing Elf

If I were a D&D character I’d be a true neutral forest gnome sorcerer sage who wields a katana and raises dragons

My favorite movies are How To Train Your Dragon (1&2), It, Star Wars, and Pete’s Dragon (2016). My favorite shows are The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Dragon Prince, Camp Camp, Gravity Falls, Twelve Forever and The Mandalorian

I love making aesthetics and stimboards, my favorite colors are blue violet, cornflower, sapphire, teal, spring green, and bubblegum pink. I love pastel kawaii fashion because of these colors

I either want to become a cartoonist or a counselor as a career, or both and be able to use one to help the other

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dentalrecordsmusic · 6 years

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Review: The Faim's "Summer is a Curse EP"

I love a good EP when I find one. There’s really nothing better than nice shiny things in tiny beautiful packages. Sometimes it’s the little things that make it all worthwhile, especially so when it’s a debut EP from a band that has delivered endlessly on all of their singles prior. One morning I got an email containing one song that had me hooked immediately and it was “Saints of the Sinners” by The Faim. Each time I’ve listened to a new song by this band after the introduction, my heart swells with happiness. No seriously. Like I can feel my heart expand and get a lil warmer ‘cause tbh, The Faim are that good.

It helps to know that The Faim worked with famed producer John Feldmann on the Summer is a Curse EP, and well, if you didn’t know he was kind of a big deal, then now you know. The Used, Blink 182, Good Charlotte, All Time Low, and many many more are just some of the pop-punk mania names he’s tied to. When I found of that The Faim were recording the new record with Mr. Feldmann my heart went !!!!!!!!!!!!!. My heart keeps doing CRAZY things over this band.

There’s also a handful of people you may recognize who made this EP what it is: including Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy (on “Saints Of The Sinners”), Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, and Ashton Irwin of 5 Seconds of Summer (on “Summer Is A Curse”). Yes, I see you all swooning like me. Packed chock full of all the little pop tendencies and arena rock anthems, this EP is built on never-ending musical goodness.

The Summer is a Curse EP opens up with the title track, which begs for a clap-along with its repetitive beat and small silences — this song reads like a cheap novel in that you can fully expect what’s right around the corner, but its fluidity and loud-quiet twinkle is made for every big New York City venue. I imagine that it’s going to be an opening staple on every live set but that could be my wishful thinking; regardless, it’s a beautifully composed signature dose of what The Faim sound like and it’s a wonderful introduction to anyone who has never listened to the band before.

The second track, “A Million Stars” is one of those tracks that made me take a couple more listens simply because it was not at all what I was expecting out of The Faim. Its pop sensibility is undeniable and it’s an amazing fit for any gigantic stadium with a guest appearance from twenty one pilots (just to add that extra umphhhh) (just saying) (wink wink nudge nudge) (do it boys) (the kids will go NUTS). After sitting down and taking in “A Million Stars” a million times, I discovered that the EP would be lacking its shiny tone to it if the track was not included, or if it were placed at the end of the EP. Not to mention, frontman Josh Raven sounds absolutely INCREDIBLE. If you’re not interested in the overall sound of this track, then at least appreciate the ability of this guy from start to finish. The vocal melody in the verses is so much fun to listen to — this track is built on bubblegum and stardust.

“Make Believe” is all melancholy melody with some sweetness. It’s a broadened ballad but it rides like an anthemic rock big-sound adventure. It includes rich vocal delivery from Raven but it also holds onto those fantastic gang vocals that literally everyone loves. Lyrically, it’s essentially about not feeling so in touch with yourself, and likely losing a sense of who you are and what you want. Ultra relatable for just about anyone and it helps that this song is built on super simple piano notes but it’s still very much The Faim. I sometimes wonder if the band created literal mood boards when they wrote this EP because each song fits so snuggly with the next.

“I Can Feel You” breathes the party into the release with an upbeat chorus and flow-y wordsmith-y verses. It’s somewhat in the same vein as say, “A Million Stars” in the way it’s composed perfectly for any arena where clapping and whoaaaaaa-ing is in mass effect. And I’m a fan of both of those things. I like that it’s a song that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it also certainly seems like The Faim don’t take themselves too seriously either. I only say this because “I Can Feel You” blasts on with its shimmery pop choruses but continues to be just as dirty as it describes itself to be.

Second-to-last-track “My Heart Needs to Breathe” is my favorite song on this whole EP. One thing that sets The Faim apart from the rest is Josh Raven’s super weird vocal delivery. I’m serious. It’s weird and airy and also extremely powerful with each breath. I often wonder if he sits down and thinks about how he’s going to deliver each and every word — contemplating every slight sound and where it will travel through the airwaves. His grasp on the magic that is genuinely interesting vocals is immense and it’s just one aspect of why I continue to look back to this band. In terms of the song itself, it’s a big game in a little tiny track (it’s one of the shorter songs on the EP). The chorus is easy to get into and most people will appreciate how exploratory it is instrumentally; incorporating a ton of production and an outro that teeters and totters through itself in the form of a robot voice and some angelic singing.

Finally “When It Comes” is a beauty of a summer nightlife song — I picture it being played on the beach with all of my friends running around and kicking up sand. While this track is a pleasure, it’s not quite “last song” material. If it were up to me, I would have switched around “My Heart Needs to Breathe” and “When It Comes” but that’s just me sipping my tea. It ends so abruptly too, and part of me wishes it finished off in more of a big sweeping gesture way. The whole release is constructed on these massive scales that are bound for city-building atmospheres but this track just doesn’t conclude it in the way I would have liked.

Overall, this EP is a neat package with a shiny bow but its power is big enough to bring crowds to their knees. I’m beyond stoked to hear what The Faim has planned for their upcoming full length (which is apparently due for release early next year). My hope is that it takes a different turn, actually. As much as I beg my praises for Summer is a Curse, I wonder how much one band can do with this genre before it gets stale and overdone. At the same time, I wonder if there’s a lot more to be done, or rather, how The Faim could re-invent the wheel with their firm grasp on pop rock to the point where they could re-define the genre they’re in. “If this is the end…” who knows, but regardless, I think there’s so much more to be done for this band and I can’t wait to see where it all brings them.

Catherine Dempsey is part of the “faimly.” You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

#the faim #summer is a curse #summer is a curse ep #josh raven #australia #album review #blink 182 #5 seconds of summer #fall out boy #twenty one pilots #21p #josh dun #john feldmann #Pete Wentz #mark hoppus #ashton irwin #the used #all time low #Good Charlotte

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withoutmyecho · 7 years

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Best of 2016: Songs

Same procedure as last year: one song per artist, with a bit more of a focus on non-album tracks. 1 Cigarettes After Sex - K 2 The Newsletters - Please You 3 Motorama - By Your Side 4 Palomica - Honeydew 5 Rory McVicar - Toothache 6 Blurred Moon - Far 7 Lowpines - Forest Finds 8 Tinsel Heart - Wasted Yet Sad 9 Sodastream - Three Sins 10 Hypoluxo - In My Head It's All Sand 11 Boys Forever - Cold Is The Colour 12 The Holiday Crowd - Cheer Up 13 Bigott - Coming Soon 14 The Ocean Party - Reach 15 Terry Malts - When The Nighttime Comes 16 Pete Astor - Really Something 17 Teleman - Düsseldorf 18 Roomtone - Up In The Air 19 Woods - Creature Comfort 20 Daughter - No Care 21 The Haywains - Girl In The Holly Court Diner 22 Lost Tapes - Going Nowhere 23 Chris Cohen - Torrey Pine 24 Bubblegum Lemonade - You Bring The Rain 25 J Churcher - Finding Roxanne 26 Paravelle - Cascades 27 The Crystal Furs - Capture You 28 Fascinations Grand Chorus - Actor/Actress 29 The Charlie Tipper Conspiracy - Lunar Garden Party 30 Ginnels - My Eyes! My Ears! 31 The Goon Sax - Home Haircuts 32 Plume Of Feathers - Lock In 33 The Pooches - Heart Attack 34 Songs For Walter - Moon/Two Out Of Ten 35 Love The Unicorn - Hate Forever 36 Young Romance - Wasting Time 37 E'spaniel - Just Another Day 38 Pavo Pavo - Ran Ran Run 39 Young Scum - If You Say That 40 Sunshine Faces - Some Kids You Knew 41 Leapling - I Decide When It Begins 42 Get Well Soon - It's Love 43 Amber Arcades - Perpetuum Mobile 44 Divino Niño - Time 45 Vasity - Still Apart 46 Mercury Girls - Ariana 47 The Real Numbers - Only Two Can Play 48 Innerspace Orchestra - One Way Glass 49 Suburban Living - Once/Twice 50 Milk Skin - Syrupy 51 Skytone - Second Hand Shops 52 Chook Race - Sometimes 53 Ari Roar - Karate Again 54 Destroyer - My Mystery 55 Plastic Mermaids - Paris Milkshake 56 Plastic Flowers - Diver 57 The King In Mirrors - Talk About Today 58 Swimming Tapes - Set The Fire 59 Seafang - Summertime 60 Impulsive Hearts - MDB 61 Lightning In A Twilight Hour - The Sky Beyond The Sky 62 Kidsmoke - Cut Yourself Loose 63 Tindersticks - How He Entered 64 Trowler - Walk Away 65 Romantic States - Take My Hand And Run 66 Astronauts - You Can Turn It Off 67 Featherfin - The Only Thing I Miss 68 Lake Ruth - The Only One Who Knows 69 Starry Eyed Cadet - Reaction 70 Crescendo - Said 71 Day Wave - Deadbeat Girl 72 Cool Sounds - Shake 73 Gringo Star - Get Closer 74 The Keep Left Signs - Modern Dilemmas 75 Lost Film - Temporary 76 Stephen's Shore - Ocean Blue 77 We. The Pigs - Something New 78 Sea Pinks - Yr Horoscope 79 Eskimeaux - Year of the Rabbit 80 Devendra Banhart - Middle Names 81 Dent May - Face Down In The Gutter Of Your Love 82 The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - Clark & Belmont 83 Olov Antonsson - Det kan lika gärna bli september nu 84 Math and Physics Club - Coastal California, 1985 85 Pale Spectres - Your Boyfriend's Girlfriend 86 Cosines - Let's Start It Over 87 Animal Daydream - In My Room 88 Wild Nothing - Adore 89 Violent Femmes - Memory 90 Bent Shapes - What We Do Is Public 91 Posture - Dreamin' 92 Tele Novella - Fruits Of Misery 93 Star Parks - Souvenirs 94 Terribly Yours - Barbara 95 Lists - Millie & Ivor 96 Stephen Steinbrink - I'm Turning Inside Out 97 Galapaghost - Salt Lake City 98 Eerie Wanda - I Am Over Here 99 Roman Lakes - Cross Thread 100 The Beths - Rush Hour 3 If available, all songs included in my Spotify Best of 2016 playlist in this order, with another few hundred in no particular order.

Related: Best of 2016: Albums Best of 2015: Albums Best of 2015: Songs Best of 2014: Albums Best of 2014: Songs

#songs 2016 #best of 2016 #indiepop #dreampop #post-punk #jangle pop #noise pop #folk #shoegaze #playlist #spotify

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arielufret · 7 years

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Favorite Albums- from START to FINISH

I feel like we all have a handful of go-to albums that we can listen to without skipping a single song. Not because we are lazy, but because we genuinely enjoy every track. Albums to me are special because they (should) tell some sort of story. I am going to list the ones that are on my go-to list. Would love to hear what yours are!

No particular order! (I am going to try to remember to link to each of the albums via Spotify, too, so feel free to give these a spin for yourselves!)

Switchfoot - ‘Hello Hurricane’ This one is special to me because even before hearing the first single, I got to hear the band play this album from start to finish live. Its symbolism is impressive and creative, as its meant to represent an actual HURRICANE. The way the songs build and flow, it sounds like a storm rolling in... you can tell when you have made it to the eye of the hurricane and when the storm starts to subside. If you haven’t given this one a listen, I suggest it. Start at 1... no shuffle. Go all the way to the end. Then give me a buzz and tell me you don’t love it. You won’t be able to. :)

Mumford & Sons - ‘Sigh No More’ This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me... even if you just kind of know me. This band can really do no wrong in my book, but ‘Sigh No More’ is a perfect album from start to finish for me. The world would not be the same for me, personally, without each and every one of these songs. I can’t say that for many other albums, if any. It’s special and exciting when you discover an album that has that kind of impact on you.

Jessie Baylin - ‘Firesight’ & ‘Little Spark’ I have Matt Nathanson to thank for introducing me to the absolute gem that is Jessie Baylin. I love women singer songwriters and she is at the top of my list. ‘Firesight’ is a bit more “pop”, but I use that term quite loosely. I also do not think there is a single thing wrong with the term. You will see that later in my list when I go FULL ON BUBBLEGUM. The follow up (which I waited on with baited breath) was equally special and different, but in a way in which you can still listen to both albums shuffled together and its cohesive. Do yourself a favor. Listen to these two albums.

Matt Nathanson - ‘Beneath These Fireworks’, ‘Some Mad Hope’, ‘Modern Love’, ‘Last of the Great Pretenders’, ‘Show Me Your Fangs’ As you can see from the list here, this man can do no wrong in my book. Not only did he introduce me to Jessie Baylin by bringing her out to open on a tour of his many years ago, but I’ll be damned if he isn’t one of my all time favorite songwriters/story tellers. A live show from Matt is equal parts music and comedy show, and he does both parts with uncanny ability. Over the last decade+, Matt Nathanson has provided me with endless hours of listening. Some songs have pulled me out of myself for long enough that I can see things the way they should be instead of staying inside my own head and self destructing. If that isn’t talent, then I don’t know what is. Honorable mention: Live album, ‘At the Point (Live)’.

Tom Petty - ‘Full Moon Fever’ Here we have my first favorite album of all time. It will always be special to me, as long as I have ears to listen to music or a memory of how special music is to me. I was a whopping four years old when this album was released. I stole it-- like legit STOLE it-- from my dad. I still have it in my possession today. He never got it back. From the moment I heard it, it was like something inside me clicked ‘on’ and it never turned ‘off’. For that, I will forever be indebted to the one and only, Tom Petty (& the Heartbreakers, of course).

Billy Joel - ‘Storm Front’ Again, this one is sentimental to me because it happened when I was just really discovering music and picking out my own favorites. My parents were in one of those ridiculous “CD clubs” where they would send you those sheets of stamps that you would go through and pick the 10 albums or whatever the number was that you wanted and they supposedly would charge you a penny or some ridiculous nonsense. I was 4, so I didn’t understand what a pyramid scheme was, but I am sure there is someone out there searching for my parents to pay off their cd club debts to society. Now that we have the back story-- there was a day my parents were look through their little CD cover stamps and I begged to have them let me pick a few for myself. I was a spoiled brat, so of course they obliged. My first choice was Billy Joel’s ‘Storm Front’. Because of my obession with “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. I wore that album OUT. It also left me with a skill that not many others have (I have asked and literally no one I have met can beat me at this).... I can sing every. single. word to “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. I am still holding my breath for an update from the 90′s to present. Get on that, Bill. I know you’ve got it in you!

Taylor Swift - ‘Red’ and ‘1989′ When you think perfect pop music, if you don’t think Taylor Swift, then I am not sure what you are looking for you in your pop music. Love her or hate her (I know what I would say to the haters-- ‘Why you gotta be so mean’) you have to admit her songwriting talent is there. And it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, as she seemingly is getting better and better with age and experiences. ‘Red’ was still when Taylor was in the country world but toeing into the wavy waters of full fledged POP. They are both in my ‘driving albums’ rotation. Perfect singalong at the top of your lungs material, especially if you are in a post break up, girl power mode (who isn’t always in that mode, though?)

One Direction - ‘Midnight Memories’, ‘FOUR’, ‘Made in the A.M.’ While I am on straight up POP, I have to discuss One Direction. I grew up the the world of the boyband. I was certain after the early 2000′s this fad would go away to return maybe never but certainly not with a group put together by Simon Cowell on a British competition show. But... alas... HERE THEY WERE, right in front of my eyes. Each of the 5 members of the band auditioned as solo artists. They did not make it, but the genius of Simon Cowell said ‘Wait just a bloody minute!!!’, at least thats how I imagine it going down backstage. And he pulled the 5 adorable youngsters together and said “SING AND DANCE AND MAKE THE WORLD LOVE YOU” and then they did just that. They did not win the X Factor but considering they are one of the top earning groups of all time and no one knows who came in first that season, I would say they fucking WON. In the process, they won my (much to old for this) heart and I have not been the same since. Luckily, I have friends my age who think the same thing, and they are all of age now, so I don’t have to feel creepy. Also, one of them knocked up one of the judges on the X Factor and she is older than me. So, I suppose its all in good fun. If you are ever in the mood for perfect pop, look up a One Direction album. NO SHAME! I promise.

Taking Back Sunday - ‘Tell All Your Friends’ Now, for the emo section. This album is high school for me. Senior year. It also reminds me of ex boyfriends from hell, which is not usually a welcome thing, but isn’t that what emo music is for? Open up all of the wounds you thought you’ve licked clean and healed just to remind you what it means to FEEL something. Anything. These songs aren’t all F YOU anthems to ghosts of girlfriends/boyfriends past, though. Some are genuinely fun, at least for me.

Brand New - ‘Your Favorite Weapon’ In another emo nod to high school memories, we have Brand New. Now, this band has beef with Taking Back Sunday and you can actually tell in their lyrics if you pay close attention. See if you can find it! Its fun!

Fall Out Boy - ‘Take This to Your Grave’, ‘From Under the Cork Tree’, ‘Infinity on High’, ‘Save Rock and Roll’ Here is another band that I have literally ZERO shame in admitting my love for. Emo? Whatever. Who cares? They have badass, long song titles that make nearly no sense with the song’s theme and it makes me love them even more. Plus, just google for some leaked photos of Pete Wentz and then you can have that visual to go along with the tracks and think happy thoughts. Dirty. I know. I am sorry. Its late and I am not sleeping until I finish this list. Panic! at the Disco - ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die’ Another band with a flare for a killer, long, sometimes ridiculous song title. The first album from this band is ALL sophomore year of college for me. Just as wonderful and confusing as those days were, this album is all of that and more. Their 2013 release is just as special to me, and the songs are just so good. I don’t care what your preconceived ideas are on this band.... give these songs a whirl. Their other albums are great too, but I do tend to skip a song or two when playing the album from start to finish, so rules being rules... I had to keep them from the list. But some of those songs will land on a list of of some of my favorite songs. So keep that in mind and give the full catalog a spin around the block for good measure. Brendon Urie, while we don’t have access to cell phone photos of what is under his clothes, we do have the video for a song called “Girls/Girls/Boys” which is almost (maybe more?) satisfying in a nod to the D’Angelo video for “Untitled (How Does it Feel?)”. YOU’RE WELCOME.

Howie Day - ‘Australia’, ‘The Madrigals EP’, ‘Stop All The World Now’, 'Live From.... EP’ As far as singer-songwriters go, Howie Day can basically do no wrong in my book. I stumbled upon Howie in the beginning of my desire to learn everything I could about John Mayer circa 2001. Thanks to that, I found one of my favorite artists of all time with Howie (he opened for John on some key dates in the earlier days of his career). His debut, ‘Australia’ still gets regular play from me, as to his other albums. Howie had some radio success and VH1 love for a couple of singles, so you may recognize the tracks “She Says” and “Ghost”. Now, my love for Howie isn’t just his boyish charm and great songwriting. Its also that mother F’ing looping pedal. The first time I saw him live, so many years ago.... I about had a heart attack. I had never seen anything like it. He was a one man music machine and I couldn’t get enough. Now, if anyone performs with a looping pedal, I automatically compare them to Howie and they rarely stack up to his skills. But I still fall for a man with looping pedal skills & an acoustic guitar, it never fails.

John Mayer - ‘Inside Wants Out EP’, ‘Room For Squares’, ‘Any Given Thursday’, ‘Heavier Things’ Oh John Mayer. Where do I even start? Discovered just shortly before the blockbuster release of ‘Room For Squares’. He gave me one of the greatest moments of my teenage life when I won upgraded tickets (front row) and meet & greet to his first big headlining tour. THANKS FAN CLUB! That was also the beginning of the end for me and live music... spoiled rotten. There are not many songwriters alive today that I can say I believe have more raw, indisputable talent than that of this human being. Don’t even get me started on his guitar skills. If you haven’t already spent some time with his catalog, I suggest starting from the beginning with these 4 suggestions.

Not ALL of them made the list, but as artists before on this list it doesn’t mean that those unmentioned albums aren’t nearly perfect. So give those a listen to, if you like what you hear from these suggestions. They just might be YOUR perfect album. Who knows!?

okay.... I am not done. So stay tuned for more. I will just be editing this post, not making a new one.

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