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felixantares · 8 months

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7 please!!

Hi LT! (I knew you would be here with shrines questions eventually 😂❤️)

7. Where did the title come from?

OH I love this question!! All my titles come from Lord Huron’s Strange Trails album. I went back and forth on giving titles for the future fics, but I’m gonna bc i don’t care about spoilers and also i put too much work into my titles to let them go unheard lmao because who knows how long it’ll take me to finally write all 5 of these.

the series title, build me no shrines, sing me no songs, comes from Way Out There. Specifically this chunk of lyrics: “I belong bodily to the earth / I'm just wearing old bones from those that came first / There are many more flames when mine is gone / They will build me no shrines and sing me no songs” (but honestly the whole song is perfect for the series). The title and the original idea seed sort of came together, but it’s grown into it’s title as I’ve outlined I think. Harry’s doesn’t want to be a saviour. He’s just a kid fighting his hardest in a war that he didn’t start. Also the ‘wearing old bones’ bit is a fun reference to future arthurian shenanigans 👀

the title for the first fic/year three, a sign in the midnight sky, and the second, the heavens collide, both come from Until the Night Turns (“I had a visitor come from the great beyond / Telling me our time in the world is done / And to watch for a sign in the midnight sky” and “I had a vision tonight that the world was ending / And the sky was falling and time was bending / I watched the heavens collide right before my eyes). I won’t say much about the first because I know i said I don’t care about spoilers but that was a bit of a lie, that one’s a very big spoiler lmao but it’s basically just like beginnings and Harry’s world changing. the heavens collide though is Sirius and Regulus!!! they don’t really interact at all in the first fic and finally meet again at the start of the second fic so it’s all about their relationship. plus Harry starts getting visions, so that part is maybe a little on the nose…

into the endless night came from these lyrics from Meet Me in the Woods “I have seen what the darkness does / Say goodbye to who I was / I ain't never been away so long / Don't look back, them days are gone / Follow me into the endless night” which year 5 is a major turning point. It’s really for both Harry and Tom, how they’re both changed by the resurrection, and how there’s no way to undo what’s been done up to this point. Plus it’s a lot of Harry embracing the changes he’s been fighting the last two years.

the year 6 fic, darkness brings evil things, I used The Yawning Grave lyrics “Oh, you fool, there are rules I am coming for you / Darkness brings evil things, oh, the reckoning begins / I tried to warn you when you were a child / I told you not to get lost in the wild / I sent omens and all kinds of signs / I taught you melodies, poems, and rhymes”. I think in my outline this is one of the lowest points in the fic. A betrayal comes to light, the Order is losing, and Harry starts wondering if they’re all going to make it out of the war intact. Also lots more visions this year, so that’s the whole other chunk of lyrics.

the last fic I’ve got planned in the series is tear through the night, and the title comes from The World Ender (“The fair and the brave and the good must die / I seen the other side of living, I know heaven's a lie / I'll tear through the night, and I'll raise some hell / 'Cause I'm the World Ender, baby and I'm back from the dead”) which. just… yeah. I feel like this one explains itself honestly, and I’m not spoiling anything else lmao

That was probably a lot more than you meant when you sent that ask 😅 you stumbled into my secret Shrines title lore, sorry!

ask me things about my fic!

#bmns(smns)#felix talks #ask game

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dancing-to-architecture · 1 year

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10 of 1001

Today's album: Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell (1977)

The Loaf arrives!

Now, here is an album cover that I've always thought looked cool as hell since i first saw it in my dad's milk crate full of LPs, but i never got around to actually listening to it (mostly because i was really into the Beatles at that point in time, specifically Sgt. Pepper, incidentally another one of the album covers of all time, and not long after my Beatles phase came the phase i call "the total collapse of my parents' marriage" which led to a distinct and immediate lack of access to any part of my dad's record collection from then on).

Okay, unnecessary family history corner is now over, time to start Loafing.

Right off the bat, before I've even hit play, i have to notice: 7 songs, 46+ minute runtime, which means that the average song length is over 6 minutes. Now, something like this can be as much a positive thing for me as a negative thing.

On the one hand, there's been The Doors' tiresome meandering and King Crimson's acid jazz (in that 'it's about the notes you don't play', and no notes were played for like 3 minutes), but on the other hand I'm also fairly into post-rock and i have, on multiple occasions, referred to a 20+ minute long song by Godspeed You! Black Emperor as "a banger". (Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls is a killer, fight me.) Then i remembered that this is Meatloaf, the King of the Power Ballad, and also that Paradise by the Dashboard Light is roughly 174 minutes long.

Bat Out of Hell-

This intro fucking rules! Goddamn, that piano player should be chained to a wall somewhere for pounding on those keys that hard.

Some really great lines here "nothing ever grows in this rotting old hole/

And everything is stunted and lost/

And nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls

And nothing's ever worth the cost." PREACH.

Man, so much happens in this one song. It's a love song, it's a one night stand song, it's got the sudden and violent death of the narrator/pov character in the opening song of what i was led to believe was a three-album rock opera-lite... Hell, I've written legitimate short stories where less plot happens than within this song.

You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)-

To know me is to know that I've offered my throat to much more dangerous things than the wolf with the red roses.

Kind of a repetitive chorus, but it's only 5 minutes long, how is *anybody* supposed to tell a story in that short of an amount of time? :V

Heaven Can Wait-

So i was *almost* in this play in high school and- oh, this is a different thing.

"And all i got is time until the end of time" is a great line.

Okay, for real, who was the pianist on this album? (Aside: Bat Out of Hell was composed by Jim Steinman, who has *one hell* of a Wikipedia page, and the piano played by Roy Bitten of the goddamned E STREET BAND. Wait, also mixed by Todd Rundgren? Hot damn, no wonder this is like the 6th best-selling album of all time.)

All Revved Up with No Place to Go-

Well that's some Springsteeny as FUCK horns there, huh?

And to be honest with you, Mr. Loaf? No, i don't really know what that's like. Most of the time I'm put into situations with little to no revving whatsoever, and it's infrequent that i really desire a place to go, especially if I'm already home.

The middle breakdown about drawing first blood just feels strange and kinda out of place to me, but i am Not a person who wrote three albums with combined 100 million units sold, so my opinion is just that.

The faster end right after that kicks some ass, though.

Two out of Three Ain't Bad-

Well the title is regarding what might be the most depressing sentiment i can think of.

And then the second verse starts and it stays sad, just in a dramatically different way. Sad in a "okay, yeesh, get over your old flame already, dude, you said it yourself, it's been YEARS" kind of way.

Like Stephen Stills said (7 years before this album came out): "if you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with", because this? just ain't it. Open up your heart a bit.

Paradise By the Dashboard Light- I've heard this song a number of times throughout my life, and i don't think i ever clocked just how insanely horny it is.

I guess i never really thought too hard about the lyrics, mostly because the last time i heard this song it was on the radio and i was still a kid. The baseball announcer part is kinda clever about it at least.

Ellen Foley CRUSHES her part of the duet. It's like the power-belting is a competition between her and Loaf, and she's gonna get that fuckin gold, come hell or high water.

Also just saying, ladies, if you ask someone if they love you, and they say "uhh, get back to me on that one, i gotta sleep on it"? They don't, and they won't. Don't waste your time.

But that last line is still pretty hilarious, all said and done.

For Crying Out Loud-

Okay, if this album and the two after, the trinity of bats into and out of hell, are all supposed to be like one continuous story throughout, then this song's placement right after Paradise is incredibly darkly funny.

Also, do we really need the image of meatloaf's turgid hog ripping through his jeans, twice? in one song?

(It's not so explicit, but you tell me what "can't you see my faded Levi's bursting apart?" is regarding, because while Meatloaf was a bigger dude, i really don't think he's talking about splitting the seam on the ass, and there are definitely other rhymes for "heart".)

Also, another false ending with 3 minutes left in the song. These songs wouldn't be so long if you stopped *trying* to end them and just ended them, man. (I'm being facetious here, but only kinda.)

Overall, a really good album. I can easily see why it sold so many copies, but i was honestly expecting it to be a bit heavier, given how hard that cover art goes.

Favorite Track: Bat Out of Hell! That intro, the economy of storytelling within (it's. so. much. plot!), the piano is on fire, all in all just one (bat out of) hell of an opening song.

Least Favorite Track: initially, i was gonna say You Took the Words, mostly for the repetition at the close of it, but actually sitting down and reading the lyrics to Two Out of Three Ain't Bad REALLY killed that song for me. It is bad, and you should feel shame.

#1001 albums #dancing to architecture #meat loaf #bat out of hell

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lashton-is-my-drug · 2 years

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COMPLETE MESS is Lashton AF

Let’s take a look at what was said during the promo of the song, and then do a lyric analysis…

What’s been said about the song through interviews::

CM was the first song written for the new album during their band trip to Joshua Tree. During a soundcheck on their TMH tour, the guys have spoken about other songs that were written during the trip, but this was the first song they started writing and completed which made it to the album.

Written and produced completely by only the band. They kept reiterating this fact in all of their interviews and press while promoting the song.

Ash posts an ig story to his personal account of Luke wearing the “Complete Me(ss)” shirt. He also has the picture on his phone at the ready to show us during an interview when the shirt is brought up.

Repeated detail given that it was Luke who came up with the “you make me complete, you make me complete, you make me a complete”. In one of the interviews, Ash expresses how it was then given a twist from “complete” to “complete mess”. Ash then says he put the twist to make it a 5sos song. During the instagram livestream Ash did for the track by track of CALM, he remarked about liking to write sadder and darker songs, so this gives me reason to believe that it was Ash’s songwriting influence showing through.

Luke brought his bit of chorus “complete” lyric to the guys, then Ash and Cal then went and wrote verses together.

In the visualizer for Luke’s Place In Me, he is laying on the ground holding a glowing “source-like light”. It looks a lot like the “Source” in the CM music video the band finds at the end.

In a bunch of the interviews when Michael talks about the creation process of Complete Mess, he mentions that the band was listening to a song for inspiration (as of writing this, it hasn’t been revealed what song he’s referring to). An observation I’ve had is the similarities of CM to Luke’s sonic feel of his solo album. The song “Repeat” has a very similar chord structure. Chords for CM are a minor 5th of D Am G D, Repeat is D Am C G. There’s also a continuation of the complete mess that those lyrics give, then Complete Mess goes through the complete mess and resolves with being complete. “Repeat” is guitar with Luke’s voice, then Complete Mess is brought together with the booming drums.

Repeat is heavily guitar, CM is heavily guitar and drums. Like CM is the possible “complete” part to the complete mess of “Repeat”.

In the Extratv interview, Luke says it started as a romantic song and has connection with Luke’s You Complete Mess shirt (yet the video is about the band????) (How relate to each other as artists, “tragic trudging through deserts”, most philosophical video, a lot is about how create tension in this group, tension creates art, and creates connection with fans.)

During promo, on the official 5sos TikTok account, Luke and Ashton run towards each other and hug to CM as the soundtrack.

Album intentions are 1. to bet on each other, 2. Lyrical content is very personal to their journeys from their experiences. (To me, this logic supports the romantic feelings are a relationship within the band. Why would a romantic inspired song have a music video about the band…)

Luke’s fave lyric of “Complete Mess” is before the chorus “I learned my lesson when I felt you slip away and I’m missing out on half my life, you make me complete”.

Now for some lyric analysis…

"COMPLETE MESS"

Caught up in heaven but your heaven ain't the same

He loves this person. Things are going well.

Feeling such immense love, but the kind of love from his partner is different to what he could experience anywhere else. Possibly he and his partner having different ideas between what each think love is.

And I've never been a saint, have I?

- He’s never been an angel. Not made things any easier, and have done bad things or not played by the rules. Possibly having different ideas about what love is and how he and his partner have struggled figuring out how to make it work.

This evanescence always fleeting like a flame

Seems to be calling himself out for not putting in all of the effort he should’ve.

Evanescence means lasting for only a short time. Simile to compare evanescence to a flame. A flame only lasts until it burns out, or is extinguished. Has a burning for this person.

But I'm never one to change, am I?

Seems to be a reference to the lyric in their song “Easier” about never changing. “Is it easier to stay? Is it easier to go?

I don't wanna know, oh, But I know that I'm never, ever gonna change, And you know you don't want it any other way”. Thus, this leads me to believe, this song must be a continuation of that same relationship.

Call it a lesson when I feel you slide away

- Using reason or logic when trying to explain a disconnect within a relationship. Either taking it upon himself to be so defeating when there’s an emotional distance between him and Luke,. Sliding away is an action that the other person is doing.

- This could be a response to Luke’s song “Slip Away”. That song was about experiencing the lurking feeling it could end at any moment when your happy relationship is going well. There’s happiness but there’s still the lingering feeling it won’t last.

It’s a cute play on words slip versus slide.

And I'm missing out on half my life

- Being stuck in these thoughts detract from enjoying life to the fullest. Mental health has become even more important to Luke and Ash during the Covid19 lockdown/quarantine. Luke spoken openly about getting therapy.

- When this person isn’t around, that’s when the complete mess feeling is felt. His partner is what makes their life whole. This partner IS their PERSON. Could venture to say, this partner could be a fated relationship.

Oh, you make me complete

You make me complete

You make me a complete mess

Oh, you make me complete

You make me complete

You make me a complete mess

Hang on to moments like they'll never drift away

Living in the moments of life

Combination of use of metaphor and simile in this line. “Hang on to moments” meaning continuing to remember or living like moments with their partner just happened recently. I’m wondering if the “they’ll is referring to the moments or their partner. Savoring the experiences he shares with this partner with no thoughts of it ever ending.

This line uses “drift away” and the prior verse used “slide away”.

'Cause you'll never get to say goodbye

- Ash reassuring Luke that this love is longterm and forever. This relationship is solid and locked down.

I ask no questions as your colors take their hold

- Letting go of skepticism. An acceptance of the vibrance into your own life that his partner brings. (For instance, Ash has tweeted a conflicted reply about marriage. Self understanding of not being into the institution of marriage but being into commitment.)

- Could be a reference to gay love.

As my darkness turns to gold inside

- This partner has such a magnificent impact on him that the sadness is turned into long lasting beauty. The love shared with his partner is so life changing, it’s replacing negative beliefs about everything. Transformation. Referring back to not being a saint, perhaps.

I learned my lesson when I felt you slip away

- It was “call it a lesson” now its “I learned my lesson”. The process of learning how to have a full loving relationship with his partner.

- It was “slide away” now it’s “slip away” this time. Slip away has a connotation that it’s the perception (vs the action of slide away) he has that the other person is doing from him.

And I'm missing out on half my life

Oh, you make me complete

You make me complete

You make me a complete mess

Oh, you make me complete

You make me complete

You make me a complete mess

(You make me a complete mess)

Caught up in heaven but your heaven ain't the same

But I've never been a saint, have I?

Oh, you make me complete

You make me complete (You make me complete)

You make me a complete mess

Oh, you make me complete (You make me complete)

You make me complete (You make me complete)

You make me a complete mess

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goodmorrowing · 1 month

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Ttpd review?

NEW FAVORITE. may i present to you: meg's official ttpd ranking!

the tortured poets department. 138439343843/10 this song SPOKE TO ME. the bridge??!?!!?!?! as a habitual ring wearer it changed my life. this is like. life changing for me. i've listened 200+ times already. if i were still in college i'd write an essay about it. tbh i might still. i'm not even kidding. + lucy dacus mention!

the black dog. 10000000/10. the structure of this song is so pleasing to me and also the lyrics KILL ME. "i just don't understand how you don't miss me in the shower / and remember how my rain-soaked body was shaking / do you hate me?" ????!!! "I HOPE IT'S SHITTY IN THE BLACK DOG."

guilty as sin. 10/10 self explanatory. this is a BANGER and also? like? i love it i can't i vibe undeniably.

i can do it with a broken heart. 10/10. lyrics are tragic. beat is immaculate. feels like exactly how i have felt for the last few months! i feel very heard and seen! and am thankful i can bop to my depression! lights! camera! bitch! smile!!!

the alchemy. 10/10. i love a good trav song. and it's so catchy??? like yes please when i touch down call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team. the football references are peak. tbh i realllyyyy wanted the alchemy to be about joe (because of gold rush ofc) but i wasn't disappointed by this at alllll.

the smallest man who ever lived. 9.5/10. makes me cry! actually reminds me of my college ex... the parallels between this song and our relationship are kind of insane. also the bridge. without being too too personal, i was constantly paranoid in that relationship for several reasons and often felt like he maybe had an ulterior motive that involved ruining my reputation/hurting me for the pleasure of people who disliked me. which is kinda crazy but was a vvv real fear for me at the time. and this song gets it!

who's afraid of little old me? 9/10. high school meg would have loved this one. "you wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me" lol. also sidenote having all my teeth pulled was a recurring childhood nightmare i had!

down bad. 9/10 yeah sounds about right. fuck it if i can't have [her]! (funnily enough She & I were discussing it when it came out and she was like "fuck it if i can't have you... i mean him" and we had The Smirk Moment)

so long, london. 9/10. perfectly describes everything i've been feeling recently (so long [boston] lmao). gets a point knocked because i can't listen unless i want to cry! this song was everything i couldn't say. :) + the peace parallels? crazy.

thanK you aIMee. 9/10. this one gets a 9/10 just for the sheer pettiness. FUC(K) YOU A(IM)EE. + andrea mention!

how did it end? 8.5/10. i sob. every time. without fail. just! the death! the dying! (it did not end well.)

the bolter. 8/10. another little meg song. she did a lotta running. this song is about idina sackville but i feel it in my SOUL. all her fucking lives flashed before her eyessssssssssssssssssssss!

but daddy i love him. 8.5/10. lowkey SO FUN and i love it! there is a field not far from me with lots of flowers and i take a bunch of zyrtec and put on a pretty dress and just go sit there for a few hours on weekends. i love it.

loml. 8/10. this song makes me sob. love of my life to loss of my life. lmao this album came at the PERFECT TIME. i needed it. "you shit talked me under the table talking rings and talking cradles i wish i could unrecall how we almost had it all" !!!! "WHEN YOUR IMPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS OF HEAVEN TURNED OUT TO BE FAKES WELL YOU TOOK ME TO HELL TOO". anyways.

the manuscript. 8/10. yeah this sounds like a little meg song. and also a college meg song (who struggled through being a writer and heartbroken and lovestruck). and a current meg song (who rereads her manuscripts and wonders whose life she is seeing). "he said if the sex was half as good as the conversation was soon they'd be pushing strollers". :') rip.

my boy only breaks his favorite toys. 8/10. it's a bop! i get it!

chloe or sam or sophia or marcus. 8/10. when i listen to this one i kinda just sit there and zone out for a while. it's a moment. i can't listen while driving because i'd crash. but i feel this song on a spiritual level.

fresh out the slammer. 8/10. hehehe i like this song. i don't have a whole lot to say about it except i really like how consistent it is and also how it is Moving On.

robin. 8/10. this song is so sweet and so sad. i'd sing this to my children. i wish i'd heard this when i was a child. it heals some part of me? tbh?

imgonnagetyouback. 7.5/10. this is indeed the kind of psycho we love. imnotgonnagetyouback but it's okay! i will still listen and vibe! #supportingwomen

so high school. 7.5/10. look okay it's silly and it gets shitted on but i like it. it's adolescent and fun and hahahah i like itttt. truth??? dare?????? spin bottles?????? YOU KNOW HOW TO BALL I KNOW ARISTOTLE!!!! brand new! full throttle! TOUCH ME WHILE YOUR BROS PLAY GRAND THEFT AUTO. taylor is CRAZY for that and i love it for her. also the scouts honor line is WILD.

cassandra. 7.5/10. i love this song. i understand what they mean. poor cassandra. this is mad woman's older sister. i get it. women! women women!

the albatross. 7/10. i like this song but the albatross metaphor is one i am Too Familiar With. "cross your thoughtless heart / only liquor anoints you" is kinda genius though!

florida!!! 7/10. maybe this is just my florida hatred showing through or maybe i'm just not super into it yet. it comes above fortnight because of florence welch though. <3

fortnight. 7/10. i found it? kind of mid? still good but the lack of post malone and inherent appeal to mainstream pop media sold it for me. :( music video was immaculate though!

i can fix him (no really i can). 7/10. again, reminds me of little meg but in kind of a painful way. also.... she could not fix him lol. she could not fix any of them for that matter.

peter. 7/10. this one is kinda bittersweet. i enjoy this song but it's got that blue tinge to it. "never to keep"

i look in people's windows. 7/10. more supporting of women! taylor.... you're crazy. i love you. you are kind of a deranged weirdo, but it's okay. personally you could not pay me to admit to stalking people but i love that you do!

i hate it here. 6.5/10. ngl the beginning slaps and i like some of the lines but the song is erratic? i did not grow up precocious (i don't think) but i was hyperlexic and did read a lot. this one just didn't hit like i thought it would as a chronic reader. :(

clara bow. 6/10. i love clara bow and stevie nicks and taylor swift and i understand the importance of this song! i just can't get into it right now :(

the prophecy. 6/10. i don't know why i can't get behind this one! i want to so badly! i just can't!!!!

overall: 1029302848/10. this album was life changing and arrived just when i needed it. i love it.

#ttpd #taylor swift

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thesinglesjukebox · 4 months

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KALI UCHIS FT. PESO PLUMA - IGUAL QUE UN ÁNGEL

youtube

Imagine what a day spa designed by Kali Uchis would be like...

[7.36]

Leah Isobel: Pretty! [7]

Ian Mathers: It's not that often that I refer to a song like this as "pillowy," but when I do it's usually because I like it a lot. [9]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Ethereal, effortless, enveloping: an embodiment of the qualities the song subject espouses. “Igual Que Un Ángel” is the first song I’ve been wowed by in 2024, and just a snippet from Kali Uchis’ masterful and diverse-sounding fifth album. [9]

Alfred Soto: Three weeks after living with Orquídeas, it came to me. The warmth of Kali Uchis' voice (as she heats up the electric keyboards on the verse): a nod toward the Bee Gees and other exemplars of late '70s pop. The rest of "Igual Que Un Ángel" works as a luxurious resting place from the album's relentlessness. [7]

Jacob Satter: Immersive and affirmative bubblebath disco from one of the modern era's most successfully twinkly practitioners. I'm speaking of Uchis of course; Pluma is here all but in name only. [7]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: An underutilized Peso Pluma I can forgive, but it is cruel to hear Kali Uchis’ fluttering, wordless melody (at the beginning, and then in two isolated moments later on) and realize the rest of the song is content with just vibing. Her most evocative moment is a bilingual one (“La favorite de Dios… and she knows”), but any good will is lost when she throws in the painfully cliché “heaven must have sent you down.” Every good thing gets thwarted here. [4]

Nortey Dowuona: There are no English-language articles on Alejo Duran longer than a page. Shakira, one of the only crossover Colombian pop singers, learned English to cross the border between English and Spanish pop superstardom and has comfortably straddled both. Alejo Duran isn’t forgotten, though; he’s a need-to-know for Colombian fans. So is a lot of Shakira’s early work. Kali Uchis, however, is a Colombian pop star who has several long, well-written cover stories and has mostly sung in English. She has become a need-to-know for mostly American fans. "telepatía," bilingual/bicultural in taste and delivery, is her biggest hit, and it's produced by Tainy, a Puerto Rican producer better known for his reggaeton bangers than anything on his latest album, Data (which is also bilingual/bicultural, but he is not yet a beloved figure in Colombia). It doesn’t seem as of yet that she is as revered as Duran and Shakira are (emphasis on the "seem"), but repeating the trick with a bored Peso Pluma and the vocal production of Austin Jux Chandler, engineer of superior Adele song “When We Were Young,” won’t do that for her. It’s no “Pedazo de Acordeon." [5]

Harlan Talib Ockey: On previous singles like “telepatía”, Kali Uchis showed that she’s adept at directing the production with her vocals as it flexes under her melodies. Here, she sounds both feather-light and intensely charismatic, the bassline and synths flourishing with her. The one fault is that Peso Pluma is entirely unnecessary; he’s unrecognizable under the thick vocal processing, and out of his depth from his usual corridos. [8]

Jessica Doyle: My first exposure to Peso Pluma left me thinking: "Interesting, but that voice was not for me, so scratchy my throat got dryer the more time I spent with Génesis." And I don't usually try again under such circumstances; I'm not sure why I did this time, I'm still shrugging off the charm of "Ella Baila Sola." But I ended up watching his Sneaker Shopping episode, despite having no previous exposure to sneaker culture, and came away with: "Voice still not for me, but the man himself seems charmingly bashful." Also, there was a morning of singing "rompe la dompe" to myself. So I tried again, with Spotify's generic "This Is Peso Pluma" playlist. After the Anitta collab (catchy but bland) and the Becky G collab (stronger, largely due to Becky G), this song started, and before I'd even heard a voice: "Oh yeah, there's a Kali Uchis collab!" Because really, we already knew Kali Uchis could do this sort of dreamy floaty disco in her sleep; he was always going to be the wild card. (The first dozen or so comments on YouTube, hilariously, are variations on, "I didn't expect much from Peso Pluma here, I was pleasantly surprised!") His sandpaper voice turns out to be perfect for "Igual Que Un Ángel." If anything, he's a little smoother than he needs to be, as if he erred on the side of fitting into her groove. The score below is thus 60% obligatory for dreamy floaty disco done right and 40% a reflection of my homegrown parasocial narrative that Peso Pluma is a sweetheart who approaches collaboration opportunities as a chance to learn from other artists and try something new, rather than as an obligation or a way to swing his newfound fame around. This approach may not hold up any better than "Ugh, scratchy voice" did. But it's a lot more fun. [8]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: So lush and charming that even Peso Pluma sounds smooth here. When I listened to this for the first time, I felt genuinely bad for all of the anglosphere's contributions to the disco revival moment of the 2020s, made irrelevant by Kali Uchis' totalizing achievements in grooves. She's always been a compelling performer, but as she's developed as an artist her songs have grown into richer and richer texts. When she coos that the song's subject is God's favorite, it's not just a passing bit of sacrilege but something deeper. She's got this ability to convey devotion in a way that few artists are able to right now, an emotive skill that is as much nostalgic as it is novel. [9]

Kayla Beardslee: Kali is the master of harnessing grooves that are just otherworldly enough: at the first touch of that sexy, sophisticated disco beat, you’ll be lifted out of your body to a higher (and simpler) plane, yet left with enough corporeal feeling to appreciate the delicate breeze and scent of roses that swirl around you, summoned by the dynamic dance of her voice smoothing away the creases in a swath of velvet. [8]

Will Adams: Kali sings the praises of an angel from above, but she's the one who sounds heaven sent. Swathed in reverb, her voice turns the relatively boilerplate disco backing into a hazy dream, where you dance in slo-mo as you breathe in the sweetest perfumes. [7]

Dorian Sinclair: Both vocalists on "Igual Que Un Ángel" wisely stick to a very light delivery, skimming over the bells-and-synth soundscape. The whole thing would feel wispy and insubstantial if not for that bass groove holding everything down to earth, but instead, we get a frictionless glide through the song, effortless the way movement is in dreams. And if the song is like a dream, those final seconds when the bass drops out and we get that slightly off-kilter ascending line are like waking up, and realizing you slept so easily and effortlessly you're not even sure how much time has passed. [8]

Katherine St. Asaph: Sometimes this sort of soft-focus disco feels as if it could cast a spell forever. Sometimes the spell ends a minute before the song does. Doesn't mean it isn't nice. [7]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

#kali uchis #peso pluma #music #latin music #music writing #music reviews #music criticism #the singles jukebox #Youtube

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taylorrama · 8 months

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The Locked Tomb + mewithoutYou pt. 15/17

Song: Kristy w/ the Sparking Teeth Album: [untitled] e.p.

youtube

This is our last stop in [untitled] e.p. and it's a short one. It's also the last track on this album, so it has that calm, closer energy.

Brand new bright lights of Arco, Idaho go dim One delusion runs its course, its companion thereupon begins

Obviously, the first line doesn't have much to offer in a TLT context, except for a general idea of lights going dim–literally near the end of Nona the Ninth when shit starts to hit the fan. The second line, though, is very book 2 Harrow.

Old ghost white face of impatience wearing thin Casting quiet curses as of course they came back round again In spite of wonders, disbelief

The first two lines are very much the Body haunting Harrow. The last line is a paraphrase of a Psalm and I'm not quite sure how I want to read it in a TLT context. There are plenty of wonders in this universe from necromany to Lyctorhood, yet there's also plenty of disbelief, especially as the truth of the universe starts to unfold. There's the wonder of Jod resurrecting everyone and the disbelief that he is the gentle King Undying.

We spent our nights climbing towers built on songs From the obsolete inscriptions of the sons of Babylon Were you not carved among the hunters and their king W/ their chests adorned in necklace & their arms like falcon wings?

These lines invoke the story of the Tower of Babel from the Old Testament, where the people built a huge tower to reach heaven and then God confused all their languages. In a TLT context, this could refer to the slow revelation that this series is a post-Earth story. All of the oldest things in this universe are from before the Resurrection and their meaning is confused/obscured because Jod and his Lyctors don't want anyone knowing about it. "Obsolete inscriptions" can refer to any number of things in this universe that come from or reference the old universe.

Then we have this figure being "carved among the hunters and their king" and my first thought is Alecto, but it could also apply to others in this series who are created by some means other than birth in the way we typically understand it. Harrow, arguably, could be someone who is carved into being.

Were you not forged in grief Avenging lions in the alabaster bas-relief? Kristy with the Sparkling Teeth!

This first line hits many so many aspects of TLT. All Lyctors ultimately are forged in grief. Paul is forged in grief. Nona is forged in grief (and has sparkling teeth). This entire universe is forged in grief of Earth's destruction.

Apparently, "Kristy" is a character/persona that one of Aaron Weiss' young nieces invented, so this song ends with this idea of a childlike persona forged in grief, and again, if that isn't Nona, then I don't know what is.

--- TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 1; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 2; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 3; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 4; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 5; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 6; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 7; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 8; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 9; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 10; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 11; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 12; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 13; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 14

#tlt #tlt spoilers #the locked tomb #the locked tomb spoilers #gideon the ninth #harrow the ninth #nona the ninth #mewithoutyou #Youtube

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pseudonymphomania · 11 months

Text

PSEUDONYMPHOMANIA FANFICS

DIAVOLO/LUCIFER

The Self Control Saga comprises of three separate contiguous explicit [E] stories with alternating perspectives encompassing the entirety of Diavolo and Lucifer's relationship, from the tumultuous beginning by going through their interpersonal issues in relation to themselves and the game canon, to the tumultuous continuation by going through their interpersonal issues in relation to the Devildom, to their true happily ever after as they enjoy themselves on a mandatory vacation which culminates in their forever. These stories can be read stand-alone if preferred and can be read in any order; however, there may be small thematic details or references to the previous story. (Genre: Romantic Comedy, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending). May contain illustrations, analysis and bonus material.

Self Control [E, 143k 88/88 Complete] This story begins prior to the events of the game, going through Diavolo and Lucifer's feelings for each other, from lust, to love, to friendship. The events of the game are re-contextualised in relation to their established feelings and resolves Lucifer's trauma. ("There are so many words that I could use to describe when reading this entire work but the feelings are just too grand! I loved every bit of this story. From the bad to the good, and from the love to the lust. I would totally read this entire work again and getting to experience the feel of it all in a greater light." - Reader)

The Sex Shop [E, 68.3k 38/44 WIP] This story continues after their happy ending from Self Control. Very quickly, their relationship runs up against Diavolo's instability as he tries to perform his duties as king knowing that he now has something to lose if he fails. ("I came for the smut, but ended up staying and becoming obsessed with the lore and world-building" - Reader)

A Mandatory Vacation [E] (Kinktober 2023, outlined, Delayed)

DiaLuci's Goofy Adventures in Friendship and Love is my outlet for DiaLuci oneshots in my time away from the dramatic shenanigans of my other stories. The tone is humorous but uses sober language and is logically consistent. Unlike my other stories, there is no overarching plot and the chapters are not contiguous. It's complete, but I will add more if I get new ideas (Feel free to submit asks and I may fulfill).

Lucifer’s Socks and Other Goofy Stories [T, 5.9k 5/5 Complete] ("this perfectly captures the "witnessing some WEIRD SHIT but you just have to move on with your life like nothing happened" energy of the game" - Reader)

Lucifer’s Dildo and Other Goofy Stories [E, 7.2k 4/4 Complete] (”HOLY SHIT THIS WAS SO HOT OML. I don’t even know what to say at all“)

Diavolo's Library (Fanart-centric): When Diavolo is feeling particularly lonely, he revisits his favourite memories, the circumstances surrounding his Lucifer Folder and his most treasured photo albums

The Lucifer Folder Archives is a combination Fanart/Comics and Fanfiction in the context of Diavolo's photo albums and memories.

The Poetry Between Our Lips is a combination of Fanart and Poetry describing Diavolo and Lucifer's thoughts and feelings toward each other.

Salacious Celebrations in the Kingdom of Love is a combination of NSFW Fanart and short verses in relation to Holidays.

Heaven for the Weather, Hell for the Company [Planned] Religious Guilt Angel Lucifer. A story that takes place at a ten-day masquerade where angel Lucifer falls in love with Diavolo amidst his own instability.

The Garden of Sinful Delights [M, 15k 14/? WIP] is an Enemies-to-Lovers Fake-Friendship Speedrun/Slowburn Reality Show AU with an ensemble cast alternating between Diavolo and Lucifer’s perspectives as they dance their way through a possible relationship even though they don’t know each other’s real names. Cerberus is a puppy and Lilith is in a relationship with Thirteen and Solomon is a ho. (Genre: Romantic Comedy, Found Family) [On Hiatus]

Pirate AU - SoloBarb, DiaLuci

THE FANTASTIC THREE

Diavolo and Barbatos Discover The Metaphorical Secrets of the Universe is a series concerning beings who have been alone all their lives meeting the ones who could convince them that loneliness is simply a choice and not an inevitability.

If I Could Fall Into the Sky: [Gen, 4.6k 5/5 Complete] Barbatos-centric, Rain and Flowers Metaphor, 5 Love Languages (Words of Affirmation, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Physical Touch) ("... its so beautiful" - Reader) Barbatos & Diavolo

If I Could Just Hold You: [Planned] Diavolo-centric, Labyrinth and Vine Metaphor, 5 Types of Love (Philia, Agape, Storge, Eros, Philautia) Barbatos & Diavolo, Diavolo/Lucifer

If I Could Just See You: [Planned] Lucifer-centric, Light and Darkness Metaphor, 5 Stages of Grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance) Diavolo/Lucifer

SOLOMON/His Boyfriends

Solomon and His Lovers Make A Map of the World is a series concerning Polyamorous Solomon (his source material had 700 wives and 300 concubines) and each type of love he has with his various lovers who associate erotically with him and are all aware of each other.

Solomon/Satan: Let Me Out is a [E, 7k 5/5 Complete] story about Satan’s introspection and Solomon’s interpretation, a cerebral smut about self-discovery.

Solomon/Barbatos [Planned]

Solomon/Asmodeus [Planned]

Solomon/Simeon [Planned]

FIC RECS

Stories written by other authors and the fanart I was inspired to draw for them

dear diavolo; dear lucifer by serunstopheles

Posted: 2023-Jul-24 | Last Updated: 2024-Jun-02 | Back to Home

#masterlist

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folkloreoftaylor · 4 years

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Invisible String CLUES

Ever since the cardigan Original Voice Memo came out, I’ve been wishing for Tay to release the original voice memo for invisible string to make sense of all the folklore she put in after the original confessional parts it started with!

While waiting in impatience, trying to make sense of the KEYWORD CLUES Taylor splattered all over this gem of a song --- my imagination has ran wild to shoo away the folklore (with real life invisible strings coming from her own keyword clues) and these verses are the result 🔍

------------------------------------ Verse 1

🎵 GREEN was the color of your eyes we put in my reputation art ...the girl in my story has always been, you TEAL was the color of the dress we wore, that i sang about taking off ...we do leave a lot of koincidences 🎵

😳

Time, curious time Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs Were there clues I didn't see? And isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some Invisible string Tying you to me? Ooh

------------------------------------ Verse 2

🎵 BAD WAS THE BLOOD of the video, we made that was so gay ... then we baked cookies after dinner

Bold were the people who’d been telling us for years, that we had to meet ...they said we’d be best bestfriends 🎵

Time, mystical time Cuttin' me open, then healin' me fine Were there clues I didn't see? And isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some Invisible string Tying you to me? Ooh

A string that pulled me Out of all the wrong arms right into that dive bar

😳

5th Track in Reputation, who’s the 5th person from T in this gay dive bar?! 😳

HANG ON, was she wearing TEAL?!?! 😳

Something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire Chains around my demons, wool to brave the seasons One single thread of gold tied me to you

Of angels and demons, I mean devils

Matching golden tattoos on the same night, I see. What’s that on your back, Tay? Did someone paint you golden? Made a mark on you, a golden tattoo? Is that golden angel wings I see?

Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand? It’s like her eyes are liquor, her body is gold. VS angel Karlie Kloss donning her own gold wings👯‍♀️ Heavenly indeed, Tay.

------------------------------------Verse 3

🎵Cool was the fact that we were named after, Carly and James taylor...so we named our BABIES, Benjamin

GOLD WAS THE COLOR of your wings, in same runway we walked hand in hand ...hell was the journey but it brought me to HEAVEN 👼 🎵

😳

Time, wondrous time Gave me the blues and then purple pink skies And it's cool, baby, with me And isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some Invisible string Tying you to me?

------------------------------------END

Now these multiple real life invisible strings through the years (this post does not even contain half of so many koincidences bet the 2 available) makes more sense to me than that single 6 months prior planted toe yogurt article BS meant for lazy google searching once album dropped.

In my opinion if Taylor did not want to send a message, I don’t think she would have included consistent keyword references / clues in her beloved art with widely available photographic evidences through the years. She has the money and power to keep things private, so I’m sure she could have chosen to include keyword references of private moments no one could relate to but she chooses not to. Why? I know she knows that all of us who love her are sleuths, and she is sending a message, showering clues for those who’d want to see the light or choose to understand the truth she speaks. She is most authentic in her art after all, but chooses to be strategic in marketing her album. She said so herself.

So, Were there clues I didn’t see🎵, Tay? Your Karlie 3-album-long keyword references are just too loud, you need to calm down 😅

Manifesting that original invisible string memo will step into the daylight, I’m sure it has better verses than mine so let it gooooooooooooo

#gaylor swift #karlie kloss #gaylor #kaylor #invisible string #folklore

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fitzs-trained-monkey · 3 years

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Chapter Nine: Sleep Peacefully

(Image not mine)

Rated: PG

~What story should I tell? Will it end happy, will it turn out well? What dreams do I own? Can I call any place my home?

And I rock myself to sleep, and I tell myself "don't get caught too deep" 'Cause I know by now, you're here for me.

And I tell myself "move along" and I tell myself "you were all wrong" But I know by now, wrong was right for me.

I'll sleep peacefully~

The black paved road of the near-empty highway stretched out in front of us, a stark contrast to the piles of glittering snow that the snowplows had pushed off the street. We had been on the road for 9 hours and were now somewhere in Iowa. The area we were now driving through was so much brighter than Copper Harbor ever was. There wasn't so much as a cloud to be seen in the sky. The last few orange rays of light from the setting sun sprinkled across the landscape as it dipped below the horizon, glittering and reflecting off hills blanketed in white. The sight almost hurt my eyes. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. Whipping out my phone I snapped as many pictures as I possibly could, though I knew they would never do justice to the spectacular view.

The sun sank lower and lower and eventually vanished beneath the horizon. Then the stars came out. Scattered across the black velvet sky, they were so numerous it seemed impossible. I could see the differences in colors and size, and I could trace the shape of the Milky-Way. There were no trees or streetlamps lining the Iowa highway and it felt as if I was swimming through inky blackness, like I was swimming between the stars. The glittering lights were so bright and so close. It was special sort of magical.

I rested my elbows on my knees and my head between my hands and stared out the windshield at the beautiful black expanse. On my right, Castiel copied my position.

"Jack tells me you like the stars," he said. Upon hearing his name, Jack briefly looked to me and smiled before turning his gaze back to the window. I had been drifting in and out of conversation with various partners throughout the car ride.

"I do, I love them," I kept my voice soft and my answer simple, "I've never seen so many at once before. I don't think I'll ever get used to it." Castiel smiled softly.

"You know, I am several billion years old, and I am still baffled by the magnificence of this universe. Sights like this, they never get old." I turned my head away from the bright lights in the sky to look at the angel beside me.

"Have you been up there?"

He nodded.

"Yes, I have."

"What's it like?"

Castiel sighed in a melancholy sort of way. I could see the reflection of all those stars gleaming in his eyes.

"It's more beautiful than you can imagine."

I nodded and gazed back out at view of the heavens.

"I wish I could live up there."

Castiel chuckled.

"Someday you might. Who knows what will happen?" He said.

"Yeah."

"However," he added, "As for right now, I think you need to get some rest."

"Nah, sleep is for the weak." At that moment I yawned, emphasizing my point. Dean glanced at me in the rear-view mirror.

"We can pull off and stop at a motel overnight if you need some sleep," He offered. I shook my head and tried to blink away my sleepiness.

"Don't stop on my account! I can sleep in the car," I insisted.

"You sure?" Dean asked. I gave him a thumbs up.

"Oh yeah. I actually sleep better in cars, if you can believe it. Something about the noise and the motion puts me to sleep like a baby, I'm all good." For once I told the truth. I really did sleep better in cars.

"Okay, as long as you're comfy, we've got about eight more hours till' we get there." Dean turned down the volume on whatever album we'd been listening to all day. I'd never been a fan of rock music, but some of Dean's songs weren't that bad.

"We'll try to be quiet for you, Marty," Sam said. I yawned again and rubbed my eyes.

"Thanks guys, for everything. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time I had a good night's sleep."

"You're welcome, kid. This is what we do. Now shut your eyes." Dean mock commanded. I rolled them instead and turned to Jack.

"Jack?" I said to get his attention.

"Hm?"

"What are your feelings on being used as a pillow?" Jack's face was painted with all shades of confusion.

"I-I don't, um, I-" He tried to answer but I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

"I'm just kidding," I explained. "You don't have a choice in the matter!"

I grabbed his arm and tugged it around my shoulders so I could lay my head on his chest. Jack's entire body stiffened, and he looked to Cas with an expression that said 'Help me, she's doing something weird. Tell me what to do'. Castiel merely shrugged and in the front seat Dean snorted. I chuckled and waited for Jack to shift around a bit and get comfortable before I closed my eyes.

"You're a comfy pillow," I remarked.

"Um, thank you?"

I couldn't see his face, but Jack sounded extremely confused. I decided then that I needed something to hold on to. It took me a few moments to feel around for his arm but when I found it, I gripped his hand and held it up.

"This is mine now."

Wrapping his arm around my waist, I tangled our fingers together and smirked when I felt Jack chuckle and wrap his other arm around me in a way that was friendly and natural.

"If this keeps up, I think we're gonna have to have a talk with Jack about a thing or two." I heard Dean whisper to Sam.

"I heard that."

"Shut up, Mcfly. You're supposed to be sleeping." He scolded, teasingly. I kept my eyes closed but stuck out my tongue at him. I smiled when I heard him laugh.

"Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight." Dean, Sam and Cas chimed together.

"Sweet dreams, Marty," Jack whispered.

With that, I let myself slowly drift into oblivion's velvet embrace.

***

"Is she asleep, yet?" Dean asked in a whisper, peering in the mirror at the sleeping girl.

"Um, I'm not sure." Jack craned his neck in an effort to find out, but he just couldn't tell.

"I'm trying, Mom," Marty mumbled into Jack's chest. That made him grin.

"From that I'd say, she's close."

"I'm not your mom, Marty," Dean sighed.

"Sorry, dad." She murmured. Dean just shrugged.

"Well, that's a little closer I guess," He said, his lips twitching with a tiny smile.

"Say, Jack, when's the last time you slept?" Sam asked, turning in his seat to face Jack who's face scrunched up as he thought about his answer.

"Four days ago, I think." He replied. Now that he thought about it, Jack realized just how tired he was.

"Dude. Sleep. Now." Dean ordered. Jack blinked a few times and yawned.

"No, I can wait." He yawned again.

"Jack..." Cas pressed.

"I can't go to sleep yet," Jack insisted.

"Why not? Marty back there did it just fine," Dean said.

"Gimmie back my socks, Biden," Marty mumbled.

"See? Out like a flickering lightbulb." Dean joked.

"No, you don't get it. I can't go to sleep, she's right here. She'd think I'm weird or something." Jack worried.

"Well, you're not exactly normal, Jack." Cas muttered under his breath.

"Look, she's the one sleeping on you kid." Dean paused, glancing at the others in the car. "That came out wrong. The point is, she clearly doesn't know the meaning of personal space. Just go for it." He finished, refocusing on the road.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked. Dean's eyeroll was nearly audible.

"Go to sleep, Jack. She ain't gonna care."

Jack nodded.

Snow began to fall on the roof of the Impala with a tip, tip, tipping noise as Jack rested his head atop Marty's. Her hair was soft under his cheek and he matched his breathing with the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

"I love that sound," She sighed, in her half-asleep stupor. Jack guessed she was referring to the sound of the falling snow.

"Me too," he whispered, closing his eyes and drifting off to the same place as the girl beside him.

***

"Jack."

...

"Jack!"

...

"You have got to be kidding me... JACK!"

Jack woke with a start. Blinking rapidly, he attempted to make sense of the world around him. Confusion washed over him as he could have sworn, he had fallen asleep in the Impala next to Marty. But he wasn't there anymore. In fact, he wasn't sure where he was.

Everything was white. The walls, the ceiling, the floor. Well, actually this place didn’t really seem to have walls or a ceiling or a floor. It was all just white, stretching off forever. Behind Jack somebody coughed.

"Behind you," They said, sounding rather annoyed.

Jack turned around slowly and cautiously. Standing in front of him now stood Marty. Her tiny hands on her slim hips and her face twisting into a frown that was somehow amused and annoyed at the same time. She raised her eyebrows at him, and her foot tapped rapidly on whatever surface it was that they seemed to be standing on.

"Heya, Jack." Marty smirked.

Jack's eyes shifted nervously left and right. His hand reached up on its own accord to rub at the knot he felt in his chest. He got the distinct impression that something here wasn't right. He planned to figure out what was going on as soon as he could determine where exactly 'here' was.

"Don't worry Jack, it’s just us. Or, I should say, it’s just you," Marty said, clarifying and confusing things for Jack at the same time. Jack shifted his gaze back to the girl in front of him.

"Where are we?" He asked, his brows drawing together. Marty smiled at him pleasantly.

"We're inside your head!" She answered.

"What?" Jack wondered how she could answer his question while giving him so many more at the same time. She giggled a bit at his confused expression. Spreading her arms like wings, she spun in a circle.

"Look around, Jack! It’s so big! You should be proud!" She stopped spinning to grin at him. The line between Jack's eyebrows and his confusion were deepening quickly. Marty tapped her chin and looked upward with a smirk, as if thinking about something. "But we really should both be proud." She mused.

"Marty, what's going on? Are you okay?" Jack took a step towards the girl reaching his hand out. Marty flicked her eyes up and down between him and his outstretched hand, her expression darkened. She held up her hands in a defensive gesture as she took a few sauntering steps back.

"First of all, I'm not Marty," She stated, evenly. Jack's position instantly switched from inviting to aggressive. He bent his knees and widened his stance, shifting his weight onto the balls of his feet, readying himself for a fight.

"Who are you?! Where is she?! What did you do to her?!" He demanded. His eyes pulsed with an orange light as he prepared to use his powers. The person in front of him, who apparently wasn't Marty, put a hand on her chest, gasping with obvious mockery.

"You wound me, Jack! You're not even going to ask who I am? I thought we were better friends than this." She closed her eyes and shook her head, sighing in an obnoxious and sarcastic way. Jack wasn't having any of this thing's games. He clenched his teeth and raised his hand threateningly.

"Where's Marty?" He growled, trying his best to imitate Sam, Dean, or Cas when they were in similar positions. The not-Marty just rolled her eyes, like she was bored.

"Yeah, no. We ain't doing that in here." She frowned, waving her hand simply. Jack scowled and tried to blast her back with his power, but he abruptly realized that he couldn't. Nothing was happening. She had taken his powers away. His eyes snapped open wide and he stared at his hand. Now he was the one taking a few steps back.

"W-what? I-" Jack stuttered. The not-Marty crossed her arms and leaned back on her heels, taking on a much more relaxed position.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot here, Jack. Can we start over?" She tilted her head and smiled pleasantly at him before sitting cross-legged on the ground. Jack nodded at her with a distrusting expression but hesitantly copied her position.

"Thank you, Jack. I'm sorry about the attitude earlier, it's just that, with this form you gave me, her personality and came with it and then there was your expectations and perception to deal with, so I had to battle through that. I'm very sorry, but I think we're all good now."

Jack was struck by just how pretty the pleasant smile on her face was and had to remind himself that it wasn't really Marty.

"What do you mean? Who are you?" He asked, expecting another vague and confusing answer. The girl giggled, her laugh sounded exactly like Marty's bubbling, wind chime laugh.

"I'm you, Jack!" She replied, brightly.

"No, you're not- you can't- how can you be me? I don't understand," Jack shook his head, bewildered. The girl giggled again.

"I'm not you you, of course. I'm your conscience! Or your sub-conscious or whatever, really." Jack didn't know what to say. Not-Marty leaned forward as if to tell him a secret. "Ya remember what I said about us being inside your head?" She reminded him.

"So, this is a dream?" He asked. She nodded.

"You could call it that, yes. So, you don't have to worry about Marty. When you wake up, she'll be right were you left her, safe, sound, and all cuddled up in your arms." She wrapped her arms around herself, jokingly. Jack nodded, sighing with relief, now he could figure out the rest of this weirdness.

"If you're my conscience, why do you look like Marty?" Was his next question. The girl claiming to be his conscience shrugged.

"You were thinking about her when you fell asleep. It's that simple." Jack nodded slowly.

"This is confusing," he stated. The girl just nodded.

"It is. Let's make it a little less confusing, shall we?" She stretched her hand out for him to shake, "I'm not Marty so how bout' you call me Cricket?"

"Why Cricket?"

"Like Jiminy Cricket! From Pinocchio!" She cheered. Jack took her hand and shook it firmly, still not completely sure he trusted all she was saying.

"Hello Cricket, it's nice to meet you?" He said, more as a question than a statement.

"It's nice to meet you too, Jack!" Cricket giggled for a moment before sobering up in a snap, "But we need to have a talk," She said, her voice grave.

"About what?" Asked Jack, carefully. Cricket chuckled at his apprehensive tone.

"Relax kiddo, it's not like I'm mad at you!" She reassured him.

"Then why am I here? What do we need to talk about?" Cricket frowned; her expression dark.

"We need to talk about Marty," She said. Jack narrowed his eyes.

"What about Marty?"

"There's something off about that girl, but I don't know what it is," Cricket answered.

"Why not?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Well, if you don't know, then I don't know, and we don't know!" She he exclaimed.

"Oh."

"But I'm telling you, all five-foot-two of this," Cricket gestured at Marty's body, "Isn't what it seems." Jack frowned.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, Martina is dangerous," Cricket deadpanned.

"No! She's my friend! She's not dangerous!" Jack protested. Cricket raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Really? How much do you actually know about her? You don't even know her full name," She pointed out, her voice harsh. "She's keeping secrets, Jack."

"No."

"Don't make me the villain here, Jack. You're making me the villain, I'm not!"

"Stop! Get out of my head!" Jack shouted.

"Jack, listen to me. I'm you and I'm trying to protect us!" Jack scrambled to his feet, shaking his head.

"I don't believe you!" The girl in front of him stood too.

"If you won't listen to me, then maybe you'll listen to mom." Then Marty was gone. Standing in her place was Kelly Kline.

"Mom?" Jack whispered he couldn't stop himself inching forward. Kelly opened her arms.

"Jack! Please listen to me, you can't trust that girl. I know she's your friend, but you need to look-" Jack cut her off.

"You're not real!" He said, backing away. In an instant, Kelly was gone, and Cricket came back.

"Fine, suit yourself." Cricket's glared was ferocious and her voice was cruel. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

Jack blinked and when he opened his eyes, Cricket was gone.

***

"We should probably wake em' up," Sam whispered as the Impala rounded the turn off on the dirt road that led to the bunker.

"Wait! Cas, do me a favor," Dean said passing his phone to the angel in the back seat, "take a picture of those two." Jack and Marty were still fast asleep. The only thing that had changed in eight hours on the road was that Marty had grabbed a hand full of Jack's shirt. Taking the phone from Dean's hand, Cas snapped three pictures of the sleeping duo.

"Here." He passed the phone back to Dean who took his eyes off the road to observe the pictures.

"Awesome." Dean grinned. "These are going in the black-mail folder."

"In the what?" Sam asked.

"The black-mail folder, Sammy. You don't have one?"

"Uh, no."

"Your loss," Dean shrugged, turning his attention back to driving. The car was quiet for a few minutes.

"So, what's in the black-mail folder?" Sam asked after a bit. Dean smirked at his brother.

"You'll find out," He said, ominously, "Next time I want something, you'll find out."

Sam decided in that moment that he did not want to find out what was in Dean's black mail folder. As the bunker came into view, Castiel reached over and shook the shoulders of the sleeping pair next to him.

"Jack, Marty, we're here," Cas urged, gently. Jack eye's opened and he blinked the tiredness from them, his neck was stiff, so he stretched it out. Marty, however, did not wake nearly as easily.

"Martina." Cas shook her shoulder again.

"Hmm?"

"Wake up."

"Five more minutes." She murmured. Jack chuckled at her antics.

"Marty, wake up. We're home." Marty's big grey eyes fluttered open and she turned her head to look up at Jack.

"Home?" She sighed.

"Yeah, home," Jack said. Marty sat up and yawned, stretching her arms and rubbing her eyes.

"Home sounds pretty good."

~What story should I tell? Will it end happy? Will it turn out well? What dreams do I own? Can I call any place my home?

And I rock myself to sleep And I tell myself "Don't fall to deep" Cause I know by now You're not comin' for me

And I tell myself "Move along" And I tell myself "You were all wrong" But I know by now Wrong was right for me

I'll sleep peacefully~

Lyrics from: Sleep Peacefully by Lilly Kershaw

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talkfastromance4 · 4 years

Text

Lost Without You-- Calum Hood oneshot

Copyright talkfastromance4 © All works is intellectual property of the author. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction or any part or all contents in any form is prohibited. You may not, without written expression and consent from the author, distribute works amongst other social media platforms

A/N: based off of Fly By Midnight’s new song Lost Without You. Give it a listen as some of the lyrics are incorporated in the piece!

Warnings: angst, moody and broody

Word count: 2,577

donate to my ko-fi here :)

Masterlist

Enjoy! :)

• • • •

Calum is a man of deception; the Houdini of keeping his six-year relationship hidden from the media sharks’ eyes. He’s the mastermind of averting their invasive questions of why he hasn’t found a special someone yet, what’s the hold-up, to the attention of this awesome bass riff he’s been working on. It’s not that he was ashamed of you or your love, he wanted at least one part of his life to stay private.

Part of his deception is keeping his lips sealed. He’s perfected the silent-yet-observant role of the band, only speaking when he deems it necessary and if it’s related to the band, Duke, or their music while simultaneously he was having a full conversation with you on his phone about how all the planets share the same sun.

For six years, your relationship worked amazingly well. He adored your compassion for his dream, always referring to you as his biggest fan which always made you laugh. It’s been six years of late-night calls, paragraphs shared of how much you meant to each other filled with promises of the adventures you’d have when you’re reunited again. It’s been endless voice notes of a new song he wrote, memories upon memories printed on polaroid’s and saved in a lot of albums on your phone.

For six years it worked until it didn’t.

Complacency became very apparent and the feeling of being stuck in one place crept up your neck and whispered in your ear while your friends were getting engaged left and right. While out and about you felt jealous of other couples who could freely kiss one another. Seeing the guys and their girlfriends cuddle while you were all out dinner left a burning hole in your heart while Calum was three seats away.

For six years it did work, but the comfortable bubble you were in for so long suddenly became uncomfortable and claustrophobic. It was a long break up that left you both teary eyed, your makeup cleaned off from the salt in your tears, and your voices hoarse from talking. You tried talking it through, but the only solution seemed to be taking a break.

A break from your best friend of six years, a break from a love so genuine.

It’s been six months since that miserable night where half his heart was taken and Calum doesn’t want to be by himself these days, he doesn’t want to think of himself this way without you. But he has been thinking about it, every second, every day. He’s been thinking of you constantly.

And you’ve been thinking of him too. Recently you’ve been seeing a new guy, someone from the gym you go to who has shown interest multiple times. He’s the opposite of Calum, so you thought you’d give it a try. Something different, something new.

“Why’d you decide to give me a chance now? I’m glad you did, don’t get me wrong, but I’m curious,” Matt asks while you’re out for coffee.

“I haven’t been alone since I was eighteen,” you confess. You felt a release as you finally opened about your relationship with Calum, leaving his name anonymous so Matt wouldn’t blab to the press you were dating a member of 5 Seconds of Summer.

Your heart burst open of your whole relationship, six years of memories, love, a friendship set on fire, finally released into the open.

“Then why did it end?” Matt asks while he walked you up to your door. You hadn’t realized you talked about your relationship for the whole date, how pathetic is that?

Instead of answering him, you pulled him in for a kiss that traveled to your bedroom. Opening up about Calum opened your sadness of the breakup as well. The whole time you were with Matt, you compared him to Calum in your mind. His fingers were clumsy while Calum’s were sure and precise, years and years of bass playing under his belt did wonders. His hair was thin between your fingers while Calum’s was thick and fluffy. Matt’s movements were jerky while Calum’s were fluid as water.

When it was over, you rolled over to gaze out the window, tears brimming your eyes because for the first time in six months, you felt lost without Calum. There’s another body where he used to be, and you can’t stand the thought. Thoughts of Calum left you awake until Matt kissed you goodbye and left.

Calum’s over at Michael’s, he’s on his fifth white claw and he feels the alcoholic bubbles taking effect. In his impaired state, he pulls out his phone and scrolls to your text conversation, six years’ worth of conversation still held in his phone’s memory.

Him: I miss you when it hurts

Knowing you won’t reply but hoping that you do, he stumbles to the hammock. With one foot on the earth he sways from side to side staring at the stars through the trees. He’s wondering if all those stars have been in the sky since your relationship started when his phone does the two-toned ding reserved only for you.

Excited and nervous all at once, he almost falls out of the hammock reaching for his phone that falls between the netting of the hammock. Cursing under his breath he stretches until his fingers grab hold of the device, the light of the screen illuminates his face.

Her: I’m sleeping in your shirts

His heart skips a beat, his mouth goes dry just imagining you in his shirts. He hasn’t seen his sensation shirt in two years because you stole it and claimed it yours. Every couple months he’d get it back so that it would end up smelling like him and you’d steal it all over again. He loved seeing you walk around your place in nothing but his shirts, he loved the way your ass peeked out from the hem.

Him: but seeing you would make it worse

He impatiently waits while your gray bubbles pulsate on his screen. Then they stop and then your pretty face is on his screen followed by your ringtone. Surprised, he nearly drops his phone again before answering.

“Hello?” he asks breathlessly.

“Can we still talk on the phone sometimes?” you ask.

Calum falls out of the hammock this time because he hasn’t heard your voice in so long. Six years he’s been hearing your voice in his head, on his phone, in his ear while you whisper dirty things. Six months without your voice has been hell and hearing it now, it’s like he’s at the gates of heaven.

“Of course, we can,” he finally responds climbing back into the hammock. He licks his lips. “How are you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah…I’m okay,” you respond softly. He knows every nuance of your voice; he can tell you’re telling him the half-truth. “Are you okay?”

“I’m better now.”

Over the next several weeks, you’ve been talking on the phone more frequently. You’re still seeing Matt every now and then, just to give you something to do and hopefully not think of Calum. That’s damn near impossible.

You’re on the phone with Calum while you’re sitting out on your balcony watching the sun go down. Both of you haven’t said a word in about five minutes, but hearing his breathing makes it feel like he’s right there with you. The two of you always had comfortable silences of enjoying each other’s presence.

“Can we be the exes that still stay friends?” he asks.

Your feet slam to the floor that were perched on the railing at his question. It filled you with butterflies.

“I’d like that, Calum. I’ve missed my best friend,” you admit shyly.

“He’s missed you, too.”

Matt spent the night and after your morning coffee, you laid on the floor staring at your ceiling fan as it rotates. The cool air blows on your skin and it reminds you of all the times you and Calum would lay on the floor or the grass, heads next to each other, as you talked about random things. Matt found you like that and asked what you were doing.

“Come lay with me, let’s talk,” you say reaching for his hand.

You feel his hesitancy as he lays next to you.

“What do we talk about?” he mumbles in confusion.

“Anything. Don’t you think it’s weird that Mars has the same sun we do?”

“No,” he snorts.

Suddenly, your door opens and with a rush of panic you sit up expecting to see Calum thinking that it’s him. Part of you wants him to see Matt and the other part of you wishes Matt weren’t in the picture at all. Crestfallen, it’s one of Matt’s friends who came by to pick up a video game he had. Matt leaves you on the floor and you send a text to Calum asking him about Mars and the sun.

He replies quickly with how that fact still blows his mind and you smile.

Ten months have gone by and Calum is pacing back and forth in his kitchen. Duke is following his motions, tongue lolling out and panting while the rest of the band follow the dad and dog duo. You’re coming over for the first time. For the first time since the breakup he’s going to see you and it has his stomach reeling.

“Why are you freaking out so much?” Michael asks.

“Because, it’s been so long! It could either go really well or end horribly,” Calum huffs continuing to move back and forth.

“Will you stop pacing?” Ashton demands, “you’re making me dizzy. It won’t end horribly. You’re already broken up.”

That stops Calum instantly. He glares at his best friend for his blunt remark, Michael and Luke share the same look.

“What?! I’m not wrong! What could be worse than that?”

“We’ve only started being friends again…she could decide she doesn’t even want that,” Calum sighs leaning against the counter. Duke sits at his feet.

“You’ve been friends for six years…yeah, you were also a couple, but I don’t understand how you can just stop being friends with that much history,” Ashton shrugs.

“Yeah, you don’t understand,” Calum shakes his head. Only you and he know where your relationship stands. He’d give you the moon if he could, lasso it and all that like from that movie you love so much.

The doorbell rings and Calum stands up stick straight, he breaks into a cold sweat. Michael offers to get it and when he returns, it’s only Andy and Sarah. At every doorbell Calum waits for you to walk through his door again but is met with disappointment when it’s another party guest.

Feeling defeated he collapses onto the couch, swiping through apps on his phone while the party blurs around him. Duke hops up and lays in his lap.

“Hey guys. Where’s Calum?”

Upon hearing your voice, Calum and Duke both perk up with Duke bounding off his lap and running to wherever your voice came from. Calum stands slowly, hearing your sweet words to Duke as he rounds the corner. Seeing you after all this time is like he can finally breathe again. You’re giving Duke kisses and Calum notices that your hair is different, the new cut and style takes him by surprise but you’re beautiful as ever.

Then your eyes lift to his and he swears he felt the planets align within him. When you smile it’s like he’s seeing the sun for the first time.

“Hey, you made it,” he says gruffly then mentally slaps himself. He should have said something cooler, more riveting but you smile all the same and stand up.

“Hi. Yeah, I did. I wouldn’t miss it.”

After grabbing you a drink he ushers you to a quiet corner where he awkwardly asks for a hug. You share a timid embrace, but it still feels like home. He wants to hold you forever but reluctantly lets go so you can catch up some more.

For the whole night you stay in that spot, unless he left to refresh your drinks, or you grabbed a snack that you shared on the same plate. As the last people left, you and Calum were left alone on the couch, the lights dimmed, and the music changed to something more chill.

“I thought you would’ve brought Matt with you,” Calum says. The other guy’s name leaves a bitter taste in his mouth and his next sentence tastes like bile. “I want to meet him.”

“I thought about it,” you sigh leaning your head against the couch. Your head presses against Calum’s arm that’s slung over the back and he sucks in a breath at the contact. “But it’s not working with him.”

“No? Why’s that?” he tries to sound polite.

You stare at him for a long time, taking in his dark eyes, the slight curl at the ends of his hair, his tattoos peeking from his shirt and the three moles you’ve always loved to kiss.

“I’m lost without you,” you confess.

He stares back for a beat.

“You’re lost without me?”

“These ten months have been so hard. I think about you all the time, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to come over and beg for you to take me back. But I hurt you. I know I did. I hated that night we broke up; it was one of the worst nights of my life. But why would you want me back after I threw in the towel because I was feeling affection deprived? That’s not fair. And then when you texted me…I felt so happy. This whole thing was stupid, and I understand if you don’t want—”

Calum silences you by pressing his lips to yours. You kiss back eagerly, welcoming the comfort of his soft lips against your own, your fingers immediately flying into his hair. His own hand cups your face, you melt at the warmth of his skin and a chill runs through you when his tongue slips between your lips. The world stops, the music drifts away as you kiss your best friend, your soulmate after so many days apart.

The kiss leaves you both breathless and gasping for air as you break apart, but you don’t move far, his forehead rests on yours. You caress the back of his neck while his thumb caresses your cheek.

“I’ve been lost without you, too, cupcake,” he mumbles and your heart rushes at his nickname for you. “I was nervous as shit before you came, I didn’t think you were going to.”

“I almost didn’t come,” you chuckle, “I kept imagining I’d see you with some new girl hanging off you.”

“The only girl I need is you.”

You’re kissing him again, then ask on his lips, “Maybe we should--?”

“Baby, we should start again,” he finishes for you. “We’re both different now. We’ll be different, we’ll…we won’t hide this time. You’ve been a part of my life for so long, you held my childhood that I didn’t want to let go of yet.”

“It’s not letting go, it’s moving forward,” you trace his eyebrows then poke each one of his small moles that you love because they’re like stars.

“Move forward with me?” he asks, nudging his nose against yours kissing you again. You nod against him as he pushes you onto the couch. Your love lost was found again.

• • • •

Taglist: @galcalirwin @cashtonasff5sos @thecurlsofgod @myloverboyash @rotten-kandy @tea4sykes @jannimoeller3 @loveroflrh @iovehemmings @cxddlyash @princesslrh @here-for-the-uproars @katiaw2 @g-l-pierce @fairyintheglass @gosh-im-short @banditocth @dezzym17 @koalacal @lukeisbaby @spicycal @mysticalhood @notinthesameguey @wastedheartcth @atlcalm @itjustkindahappenedreally @calumance @babylon-corgis @thew0rldneedsmcreycghurt @lanternlover2 @istaywithmyjonas @calteahood @sarcastically-defensive17 @another-lonely-heart @calumhoodaf @frontmanash @philthepegacorn @mantlereid @lukedorkyhemmings @addietagglikesbands @kikixfandoms @sanrioluke @mayve-hems @morguelth @haikucal @thatscooibaby @meghanrose05 @idontneedanyone @dinosaursandsocks @cassie-sos @suchalonelysunflower @burstintocolor @zhangyixingxing1 @dead-and-golden @mymindwide @everyscarisahealingplace

**if your url has a strike through it’s because your blog didn’t show up as a tag! :(

#calum hood oneshot #calum hood angst #calum angst #calum fluff #calum 5sos #calum hood writing #calum hood 5sos #5sos writing #5sos fanfic #calum fanfic #calum fic #calum hood fanfic

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the-melting-world · 3 years

Text

The Empress | Playbook Commentary [Side B]

Need to catch up? The full album can be found here: The Empress

Note: Song lyric application may not always correspond with the original meaning / intention of the song’s origins.

Enjoy these breakdowns of the lyrics that influenced and inspired some of the events and imagery used in The Empress. All songs with the exception of the EP “Burgh Island” are borrowed from Ben Howard’s albums Every Kingdom and I Forget Where We Were

cw: mentions of drowning, mentions of death

~ Side B Playlist ~

“Oats in the Water”

“The Wolves”

“Evergreen”

“Time is Dancing”

“Burgh Island”

“The Fear”

“I Will Be Blessed”

***

“Oats in the Water”

Lyrics that had the most impact on the chapter

Go your way / I'll take the long way 'round / I'll find my own way down / As I should

And you'll find loss / And you'll fear what you found / When weather comes / Tearing down

Commentary

“I'll take the long way 'round / I'll find my own way down / As I should” – At this stage, Kipling has had to suffer from the side effects of the resurfacing of her magic without any answers. Since there hasn’t been anyone to help her understand what’s happening to her, she’s been forced to take the long way to arrive at some answers.

“And you'll fear what you found / When weather comes / Tearing down” – Kipling fears her magic because she doesn’t understand it yet. The “weather” alludes to the storms that she’s at the mercy of in her dreams. She wakes up from her nightmares feeling like she almost drowned.

***

“The Wolves”

Lyrics that had the most impact on the chapter:

Falling from high places / Falling through lost spaces / Now that we're lonely / Now that we're so far from home / Watching from both sides / These towers been tumbling down / I lost my mind here / I lost my patience with the Lord

Where you been hiding lately? / Where you been from hiding from the news? / Because we've been fighting lately / We've been fighting with the wolves / Red tongues and hands

Commentary

“Falling from high places / Falling through lost spaces” – reflecting the imagery of Kipling falling through the portals into Strength’s realm

“These towers been tumbling down / I lost my mind here / I lost my patience with the Lord” – Kipling is very disoriented when she arrives in Strength’s realm. Seeing Khleo there only adds to her confusion. In this case “the Lord” would be Strength, who is pretty aggressive towards Kipling when she tries to get past her so she can see Khleo.

“Red tongues and hands” – this imagery goes well with Strength’s description in this chapter. In general, I incorporate a lot of reds and golds into any imagery associated with the Strength Tarot card.

***

“Evergreen”

Lyrics that had the most impact on the chapter:

Christmas flared amongst us / And we called it evergreen / Built a world without your love / Now I'm all out at sea

Take me back to the catacombs / I am tempted by her love / Bluest eyes against my own skin / I have never been so caught up / Looking around I see memories / What it was, oh, what it was / There in the lights you said something / But I can't remember what

Commentary

"Christmas flared..." - Christmas is a time of receiving gifts. The “gift” that Kip has is both Ozy and the knowledge that Khleo is somewhere out there.

"Built a world without your love" - all this time Kip has been without the love of her childhood friends.

"Now I'm all out at sea" - reinforces the ocean imagery associated with Kipling and this idea that she's still alone / doesn't know what to do with this information.

"I am tempted by her love" - Kip's reading suggests that she's clinging too strongly to the memory of Khleo.

"I have never been so caught up" - reflection of how Kip’s feelings for Khleo can overwhelm her.

"Looking around I see memories... But I can't remember what" - the more memories Kipling acquires of her time with Khleo, the more she gets lost in them, as shown towards the end of her reading with Muriel.

***

“Time is Dancing”

Lyrics that had the most impact on the chapter:

Wrapped up in dissonance / I'm sorry that I just walked away / Lost in the insignificance of mine / I had no words to say / Now I am better / I implore you to say it isn't right

Hold it in, let's go dancing / I do believe we're only passing through / Wired again, look who's laughing / You again, all you, all you, all you

Commentary

“Lost in the insignificance of mine” - this is a nod to Ozy's pursuit of grey magic. Depending on how you look at it, you could definitely make the argument that Ozy going into isolation for a decade wasn't worth what he gained in the end -"insignificance".

“Wrapped up in dissonance" connects to a lot of the maze/puzzle imagery associated with Ozy and the library where he spent the last ten years.

"I implore you to say it isn't right" - It's never explicitly said until “I Will Be Blessed”, but there is this uneasiness that Kip experiences in regards to Ozy's choices that suggests she disagrees with the direction he took after she left for Vesuvia.

“Hold it in, let's go dancing” - Ozy helps Kip "hold it in" by distracting her. He tells her to watch the center of his back. He knows the memories of the past are still a very sensitive subject. For much of their reunion they are "dancing" around the subject of what happened with Khleo

***

“Burgh Island”

Lyrics that had the most impact on the chapter:

Oh your brown eyes shine a sure light on the way to go / And the sun tries you, reeling home against your glow / And we lost sight of it, breath tied up in summer’s hold / And your eyes screamed it / Burgh Island, in sepia tones

Commentary

“your brown eyes shine… and the sun tries you, reeling home against your glow” - these lyrics reflect the sun imagery associated with Ozy. There is a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter that hints at the ways in which his patron Arcana will become more significant throughout his own character development.

“And we lost sight of it, breath tied up in summer’s hold” - this line echoes the moment that the trio became disconnected from each other all at once - the day that Khleo was taken by the Door. Much of their unresolved interpersonal conflict is “tied up” in that moment from their childhood, which has left all of them “lost” in some important ways.

“And your eyes screamed it / Burgh Island…” - Once again in this chapter, Kip and the Arcana LIs can sense that Ozy has been profoundly affected by his time in isolation. “Burgh Island” in this case would reference the “island” that he’s been stranded on for the past 10 years. In Ozy’s case, it’s his underwater library.

***

“The Fear”

Lyrics that had the most impact on the chapter:

I've been worrying / That I'm losing the ones I hold dear / I've been worrying / That we all / Live our lives / In the confines of fear

My, my cold hearted child / Tell me how you feel / Just a grain in the morning air / Dark shadow on the hill

Commentary

“I’ve been worrying / that I’m losing the ones I hold dear” - Kip constantly worries that she’s never going to get back to Khleo or mend things with Ozy.

“We all live our lives / in the confines of fear” - Kip’s fear of intruding in Strength’s realm makes her hesitant to go back there to search for Khleo. Kip’s also been harboring fear of what Asra will think of her reading with Muriel and the emotions she’s been holding onto regarding Khleo.

“Tell me how you feel” - Asra spends time trying to get Kip to open up.

“Just a grain in the morning air / dark shadow on the hill” - Asra easily picks up on Kip’s anxiety around these subjects. He comforts her, knowing that she still feels very helpless “just a grain in the morning air” and uneasy about pursuing the answers that have been haunting her all this time “dark shadow on the hill”. There are more lyrics in the song that reinforce this feeling of problems seeming too big for one person to handle / out of your grasp - “Just a blade in the grass” for example and “A spoke unto the wheel”

***

“I Will Be Blessed”

Lyrics that had the most impact on the chapter:

Oh my ghost came by / Said who do you love the most / Who you wanna call before you die

Oh hey, heaven is the place we know / Heaven is the arms that hold us / Long before we go

Oh if you're there when the world / Comes to gather me in, oh if you're there / I will be blessed

Commentary

“Who do you love the most / Who you wanna call before you die” - These lyrics reflect the confrontational tone this chapter takes when it comes to Kip’s feelings towards her childhood friends. The Strength Major Arcana doesn’t take it easy on Kip. She’s very straightforward with how Kip messed up and challenges her to fix her mistakes. Later on in the chapter, Kip is straightforward with Ozy about where she went wrong and how much he means to her.

“Oh hey, heaven is the place we know / Heaven is the arms that hold us / Long before we go” - The more walls Kip breaks down with Ozy, the more she’s able to let go of her pain and replace it with joy and unconditional love. She gets a sense of what “heaven” is like when she finally reaches this point where she can embrace Ozy without all of the tension and guilt that has been holding her back from moving on. Ozy experiences the same feeling when Kip reaches this point. This is the moment when he’s able to start his own journey towards healing.

“Oh if you're there when the world / Comes to gather me in… I will be blessed” - This line reinforces the realization that Kipling and her friends need each other in order to get through the hardest times of their lives, as the end-of-the-world hyperbole suggests “when the world comes to gather me in”

#the arcana #arcana albums #arcana albums: the empress #arcana albums lore #kipling lore #kipling bronne #kipling the apprentice

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x--daughters-of-darkness--x · 3 years

Text

The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen Lives for ‘Death by Rock and Roll’

“The 27 Club” is a depressing cultural phenomenon — it’s the age musical luminaries Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Mia Zapata of the Gits, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix died.

The Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen is now is 27 but was 25 when she wrote a reckoning in the semi-autobiographical “25.” The song appears on Death By Rock and Roll, the band’s fourth record. The LP is a stunner; a dozen stellar songs that are at once reverential, referential and intensely personal.

In the past four years, Momsen lost two hugely important people in her life. In 2017, Chris Cornell died by suicide, and not long after, her musical mentor and best friend Kato Khandwala died in a motorcycle crash. Understandably, Momsen was devastated. Thanks in no small part to the catharsis of music, the age of 27 seems to be a renewal, as she exorcises her pain in Death By Rock and Roll. The Pretty Reckless’ best album to date, the passion and pain are palpable in both music and lyrics. The plaintive “Got So High” could be an alt-rock chart-topper, in wonderful contrast to the raw rallying cry and aggressive gutter-rock feel of the title track. She moves easily from the quirky cinematic moment of “Broomsticks” into the fiery, feminist coven-call that is “Witches Burn.”

Speaking from her pandemic hideout in Maine, Momsen isn’t on the other side of the grieving process.

“I’d be a liar to say that I’m, you know, over things,” she tells SPIN. “I’m still in the process of healing, but the making of this record really was just a huge step forward. I was in a very, very dark space there for a while, and if it wasn’t for the making of this record, I don’t know if I would be here right now.”

She wallowed, but ultimately her instinct for self-preservation kicked in. As did a worldwide pandemic. Masking up is nothing new for Momsen, who calls herself “a super hypochondriac” who hasn’t left her house since March.

“Even before COVID, I was strict. It probably stems from being a singer and not wanting to get sick on tour, because you never fully recover. So [I always flew wearing] masks,” Momsen says.

Though she’s healthy, and it’s probably not an exaggeration to say that, emotionally, Momsen was saved by rock and roll. “I keep just sticking to the word rebirth,” she says. “I know it sounds cliché, but it really does feel like that for the band.”

While the songs are truthful, sometimes sad, always powerful, they’re never a pity party. “I keep trying to want to put a positive spin on it because I don’t want it to be this representation of this very morbid thing,” Momsen says. The concept behind Death By Rock & Roll is a positive rallying crying, something a band might shout together before going on stage. “It’s an ethic that we live our life by; go out your own way, rock and roll till I die,” she continues. “Don’t let anyone tell me differently.”

The phrase “death by rock and roll” was coined as the band’s de facto motto by Khandwala, which made it an appropriate choice for the album title. The band’s friend, producer and touchstone, Khandwala died in 2018 at the age of 47. He was with The Pretty Reckless from 2010’s Light Me Up to 2014’s Going To Hell and 2016’s Who You Selling For.

Khandwala’s memory bookends the album: A recording of his actual footsteps on a wooden floor begins the record, and the final song is the poignant tribute “Harley Darling,” a stellar ballad that could be a hit on Americana/country radio. If the only way around something is through it, Momsen dove in headfirst, putting all her angst, love, sadness and power into the songs.

“The record delves into a lot of darkness and a lot of sadness. There was no way around that as a writer. And as a person. It just became so a part of who I was that I couldn’t avoid it. But I think by writing it and getting it out, that was a huge part of the healing process.”

Wanting to use music to process and express her emotions, she called Khandwala, who had produced every The Pretty Reckless album, to talk about recording.

But then came the call that Khandwala had died.

“That was the nail in the coffin for me. I threw my hands up in the air and kind of went ‘Yeah, I give up.’ I went down a very dark rabbit hole of depression and substance abuse and everything that comes with that.” she confesses. Momsen was so down that she couldn’t even listen to music. Eventually, listening to her favorite artists helped her. “I started with the Beatles, listening to every detail, the whole Anthology, and just going through what made me fall in love with music when I was young.”

The band – drummer Jamie Perkins, guitarist Ben Phillips and bassist Mark Damon – met Momsen through Khandwala and were all equally devastated, processing losses in their own ways. They were on tour with Soundgarden in 2017, which was a thrill but ended in tragedy when Cornell died.

“As an artist [being asked to open the tour] was the highest compliment that you could possibly get,” she says. “If you know anything about me, I mean Soundgarden is just the epitome [when it comes to rock bands]. I was there that last night in Detroit,” she remembers. “I talked to him at night I gave him a hug and said goodbye. When I wake up to that news the next morning … It just went from the most elating experience to the one of the most devastating. And Kato was at all those shows.”

Cornell’s death shook Momsen and the band profoundly. She says it “took me down to a place where I wasn’t useful in the middle of a record cycle.” The Pretty Reckless were supposed to be on the road for another year, but Momsen wasn’t up to performing as she dealt with her grief. “I couldn’t grieve and continue to get on stage every night and pretend, put on this big rock show like everything was okay. I left the tour,” she says.

With time, she was able to listen to Soundgarden’s music, and eventually, she picked up a guitar. Death by Rock & Roll was a record that was easy in the worst way possible.

“I didn’t have to try to write it. It was more just a necessity that I didn’t even know I needed. It just kind of poured out of me,” Momsen says of the writing process. “There were a lot of tears during the recording. We put everything we had into this album, physically, emotionally. There are good days, bad days, obviously. I think the full spectrum of emotions was spanned on making this, from anger to tears of happiness to tears of sadness.” Some days were too difficult for Momsen even to attempt vocals, too heartbroken from the past few years.

That said, Momsen, in conversation, along with the record itself, aren’t outwardly mournful. Her voice has laughter and life. “I’m ecstatic for people to hear the album and to share it because I’m really proud of it. I know it sounds cliche, but it really does feel like the first album, like we had to start from scratch again, and we didn’t know how that was going to go.”

Still, there are songs where Momsen chooses not to divulge the true inspiration to inquisitive journalists. “I think it’s unfair to the listener to detail song lyrics in a personal manner. It takes away what it means to [the listener].” She offers up an example to clarify: “I’m a huge Pink Floyd fan. (She references “The Great Gig in the Sky” in the song “Rock and Roll Heaven.”) I’ve watched every documentary ever made about Pink Floyd. In one, Roger Waters is talking about ‘Shine on You Crazy Diamond,’ going into depth about what the song was about to him, about Syd Barrett.”

Momsen was shocked to learn the song’s true story. “It was so not how I had taken that song my entire life! I’m glad that I know the story now. But if I had known before I listened to it, I think that it would have changed my perspective of the song. It wouldn’t have had the same impact that it had on me and my personal life. That’s why I don’t like to do that.”

Death by Rock and Roll reaffirms The Pretty Reckless’ love of rock and roll, along with the people who made them who they are, musically and as individuals. “I think because we went through so much trauma, and so much loss, that this record, in one way, feels so much like a gift. We’re given the gift of rebirth; I mean, how many artists can say that? As artists, you struggle to find inspiration always. In this case, inspiration was just thrust upon me.”

With a record that marks such a powerful turning point for The Pretty Reckless, talking about Khandwala and Cornell will be inevitable and ongoing. “This record starts and ends with my love letter to Kato. So there’s no getting around talking about that,” Momsen concedes. “But it’s so much more than that. I think it’s reflecting on the cycle of life. You come into this world with nothing but your soul, and you leave it with nothing but your soul.”

#Taylor Momsen #the pretty reckless #2021 interviews

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thestoryofustaylorsversion · 4 years

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Folklore perspectives ✨

As Taylor said, each folklore tale is told from either her perspective, her friends’s perspective or perspectives of those she has never met before.

Here’s who’s perspective I believe each tale is told✨

The 1- taylor’s perspective looking back at a past friendship (most likely in her 20’s) she may have thought would be more OR betty’s perspective on how she wished things worked out different with james (during the roaring 1920s?)

‘If you really wanted me then you really should’ve shown’

‘Roaring twenties, throwing pennies in the pool. And if my wishes came true, it would have been you”

‘It could have been sweet, if it could have been me’

‘In my defense, I have none. For digging up the grave another time’

‘It could have been fun, if you would have been the one’

cardigan- betty’s perspective on her & james relationship when she’s older (reflecting on what she was told she knew vs what she knew)

‘When you are young they assume you know nothing’

‘But I new you...’

‘When I felt like an old cardigan, under someone’s bed. You put me on and said I was your favorite.’

‘Chase two girls, lose the one’

‘Tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy.’

‘I knew everything when I was young’

‘I knew you’d haunt all of my what-ifs’

‘I knew you’d miss me once the thrill expired. And you’d be standing in my front porch light. And you’d come back to me’

the last great american dynasty - rebekah & taylor’s perspective on similar circumstances of being perceived as loud, mad and shamless

‘there goes the loudest/ maddest/ shameless woman this town has ever seen’

‘And then it was bought by me’

‘She/ I had a marvelous time ruining everything’

exile- james & betty’s perspective when they are a bit older on how they fell apart; how they refuse to listen to each other

‘I can see you standing honey, with his arms around your body’

‘I can see you staring honey, like he’s just your understudy’

‘I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending’

‘We always walked a very thin line’

‘Took you five whole minutes to pack us up and leave me with it’

‘Second, third and hundredth chances.’

‘You didn’t even hear me out’

‘You never/ I gave so many signs’

my tears ricochet- taylor’s perspective on the story of her masters being stolen from under her

‘Even on my worst day. Did I deserve, babe, all the hell you gave me?’

‘Cause I loved you, swear I loved you.’

‘I didn’t have it in myself to go with grace.’

‘And if I’m dead why are you at the wake? Cursing my name, wishing I stayed, look at how my tears ricochet.’

‘You wear the same jewels that I gave you, as you bury me’

‘I can anywhere just not home’

‘I still talk to you, as I’m screaming at the sky’

‘And when you can’t sleep at night. You hear my stollen lullabies’

mirrorball - taylor‘s perspective of her career

‘I’ll show you every version of yourself tonight’

‘I can change everything about me to fit in’

‘But I’m still on my tallest tip toes. Spinning in my highest heels, love. Shining just for you’

‘I know they said the end is near’

‘I’ve never been a natural, all I do is try try try’

‘I’m still trying everything to keep you looking at me’

seven- taylor‘s perspective as a child, before she is forced to grow up and become a woman

‘Picture me in the tree’

‘I peaked at seven”

‘We can be pirates’

‘Please picture me in the weeds’

‘Before I learn civility’

‘I used to scream ferociously’

august- james’ summer fling’s perspective on their summer romance

‘Are you sure? Never have I ever before’

‘I can see us lost in the memory’

‘August slipped away to a moment in time’

‘Cause you were never mine’

‘I remember thinking I had you’

‘For me it was enough’

‘So much for summer love and saying us’

‘Back when I was living for the hope of it all’

this is me trying- told from the perspective of James when he’s a little older, who feels he lost his way and is trying to find his way back after losing betty

‘I have a lot of regrets about that’

‘They told me all my cages were mental. So I got wasted like all my potential’

‘Fell behind all my classmates now I’ve ended up here’

‘But I’m here in your doorway’

‘It’s hard to be at a party when you feel like an open wound’

‘It’s hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you’

‘You’re a flashback on a film reel on the one screen in my town’

illicit affairs- a young woman’s perspective on having an affair with someone older

‘I tell my friends I’m out for a run, you’ll be flushed when you return’ (makes me think she’s in college, living with friends)

‘What started in beautiful rooms ends with meetings in parking lots’

‘That’s the thing about illicit affairs and clandestine meetings and longing stares’

‘Take the words for what they are. A dwindling mercurial high’

‘They show their truth just one single time but they lie and they lie and they lie a million little times.’

‘Don’t call me kid, don’t call me baby’

‘Look at this idiotic fool that you made me’

invisible string- taylor’s perspective on fate bringing her to her lover, joe; time heals all things

‘isn’t it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string, tying you to me’

‘a single thread of gold tied me to you.’

‘green was color of the grass where I used to read at Centennial park, I used to think I’d meet somebody there ’

‘Teal was the color of your shirt when you were 16 at the yogurt shop’

‘Bad was the blood of the song in the can on your first trip to LA’

‘Bold was the waitress on our three-year-trio getting lunch down by the lakes. She said I looked like an American singer’

‘Cold was the steel of my axe to grind for the boys who broke my heart, but now I sent their babies presents’

‘Time, mystical, time, cutting me open and healing me fine’

‘Gave me the blues then purple pink skies (lover)’

‘Gold was the color of the leaves when I showed you around Centennial park’

‘Hell was a journey but it brought me heaven’

‘A string that pulled me out of all the wrong arms and to that dive bar’

mad woman- taylor‘s perspective of how she (and other female artists) has been persecuted by the media, celebrities and her former record label

‘What did they think I’d say to that?’

‘They strike to kill and you know I will’

‘Does she smile? Or does she mouth “fuck you forever”’

‘Every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy’

‘Women like hunting witches too’

‘I breathe fire each time I talk’

‘It’s obvious wanting me dead has really brought you two together’

‘Cause you took everything from me. Watching you climb, watching you climb. Over people like me’

‘No one likes a mad woman, you made her like that’

epiphany- a soldier’s (her grandfather’s) perspective, a medial worker’s perspective, a hero’s battle story

‘crawling up the beaches now, I think he’s bleeding out’

‘some things you just can’t speak about’

‘hold your hands through plastic’

‘keep your helmet, keep your life son’

‘Something med school did not cover’

‘with you I serve, with you I fall down’

‘watch you breathin in, watch you breathin out’

‘doc, I think she’s crashing out’

‘only 20 minutes to sleep, but you dream of some epiphany’

betty- james’ perspective when he was seventeen, after he came back from his summer with ‘august’. He chased two girls and now he wants betty back.

‘would you tell me to go fuck myself or lead me to the garden’

‘you heard the rumors from Inez, you can’t believe a word she says, most times but this time it was true’

‘it was only a summer thing’

‘plus I saw you dance with him’

‘the worst thing I ever did was what I did to you’

‘I’m only seventeen I don’t know anything but I know I miss you’

‘I was walking home on broken cobblestones’

‘i slept next to her but I dreamed of you all summer long’

‘I’m here on your doorstep’

‘will you have me? will you love me?’

‘will this fix your broken wings?’

peace- taylor telling joe she knows she can’t give him everything he may need (peace) and is asking if that is still enough? Also a promise to do everything that she can do for him.

‘Would it be enough if I never bring you peace?’

‘You paint dream scapes on the wall, I talk shit with my friends. It’s like I’m wasting you honor’

‘People think love is for show, but I’d die for you in secret’

‘Give you my wild, give you a child’

‘The rain is always gonna come when you’re standing with me’

‘I’m a fire and I’ll keep your brittle heart warm’

‘You got a friend in me’

hoax- taylor making promise to joe that no matter what happens she will always be there for him; also makes references to how he’s the only one who understands her and her pain just like she understands his

‘Don’t want no other shade of blue but you’

‘No other sadness in the world would do’

‘I left a part of me back in new york’

‘You know it still hurts underneath my scars from when they pulled me apart’

‘Stood on the cliffside screaming “give me a reason”’

‘Your faithless love is the hoax I believe in’

‘My broken drum, you have beaten my heart’

Although so many songs are written from many character’s perspective, I absolutely adore how certain lines in most songs are clearly about taylor. She’s such a magical author to weave her life into her character’s lives in her folklore stories ✨🖤🧚‍♂️

I WILL NEVER GET OVER THIS ALBUM 🖤🖤🖤

@taylorswift @taylornation 🖤✨🧚‍♂️

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laszlowrobinson · 4 years

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A playlist that your character would actually listen to

It didn’t say to describe why they would listen to these songs, but I did it anyway because while idk anything about music I like to rave about it lmao

Spice Up Your Life - Spice Girls

I mean the Spice Girls were and still are iconic spelled to sound like eye-con-eek. They were a good chunk of his childhood to adolescence since they WERE the 90′s. So not only is their music just, you know, great, it holds a very nostalgic place in his heart. I mean he for sure watched Spice World and didn’t give a single shit that it makes no sense. It didn’t need to, it was the Spice Girls hanging with aliens and chilling out on the bus in their iconic fashion. Anyone in that movie he will reference as their character from that instead of like oh Hugh Laurie from House MD? NO, it’s Hugh Laurie, Poritot from Spice World. Oh Stephen Fry? From Gosford Par? NO, it’s Stephen Fry, the Judge from Spice World.

Anyways, while he would and does put their entire discography on, I’m putting this one in particular because it’s such a bop!! And their anthem. When the bitches were back for the 2012 Olympics, while they may have opened with Wannabe with choreography, (except Victoria who literally stood there Posing, the icon) they really went in with Spice Up Your Life okay, they rode around that stadium ON the cabs while singing it!!! It’s 100% the song that will pick him up off the floor.

LA DI DA - EVERGLOW

What a song??? Holy SHIT. It may be only like a month old in its life span but it Hits, so it gets a spot on this playlist because as soon as I heard it I was like, “Laszlo would be obsessed.” It’s a bop, it’s a jam, it’s everything he could ever ask for in a song. First off, the production on it is just so good!!! The beats HIT and the clapping behind their vocals picks it up to another level. And that part where they like lmfao aggressively grunt?? after “Everglow forever let’s go.” amazing, brilliant, stunning, absolutely the best thing he has ever heard before. And then the VOCALS!!! The talent!!!! Like the range between all the girls is astounding, and I don’t just mean their vocal range. I mean ALL of it, the singing, the rapping, the power and then pulling it back for the softness until they come back to make heads bop for the chorus. Whew!!! Just such a good, pump up song that he can bop around too and that’s his favorite kind of music!!

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - ABBA but the Cher Cover

No disrespect to ABBA because Laszlo loves them, but he looooves Cher and while he would ALSO play her entire discography, this song just hits different sung by Cher in 2018 in her beautiful, earthy voice. And she did it so tastefully. She respected the original song by not turning it over into something completely lost to the track but it still felt like she was putting her own magical Cher-y blessing upon it as if it were her very own song. It’s like the perfect crossover??? He probably had an out of body experience listening to her cover album of ABBA and then going to see her in Mama Mia! 2. Plus, like, this song is also his life lmfaooooo where is his man,,, @ god (who is Cher, as confirmed on Will and Grace.)

I Know A Place - MUNA

Not only is this song just...so good...but the lyrics of it really hit home for him. Like??? “Don’t you be afraid of love and affection/ just lay down your weapon”??? ow bitch. But it is a celebratory song!!! It’s about being able to be whoever you are and not having to worry about getting hurt or dealing with the bleeeh people of the world because they’re going to a place that’s safe and accepting, and that’s in LGBT+ spaces. And there are a lot of people who don’t feel safe and who are having to hide themselves, but this song is providing them a little slice of heaven to be themselves. It also serves as a reminder that there are places were you can be safe and happy and yourself and you will be accepted!!! And that’s just such a lovely message, and for music like this to be out there in the world for the youth makes him so happy! And the music itself is so funky and absolutely something that one can dance to. It has those places that slow down...and then HIT for the bopping around for the hype of the chorus!! UGH! and Katie’s voice still being sort of haunting really just brings it on home. This song is so good!! Stream MUNA!!!!!

Paparazzi - Lady Gaga (TW: fake blood from 3:20-end of the video)

I’m linking the 2009 MTV performance because I’m going to say that this was his first exposure to Lady Gaga and holy shit was it life changing!!! This was everything. Like the performance art of it really came for his throat. Spoiler alert: when the blood started pouring from her chest and the crowd like gasped and groaned??? It was a Cultural Reset!! She was singing her heart out and going all out on that choreography. Her foot up on the piano as she slammed the keys??? The set design?? SO GOOD! And her dancers? Shout out to them, because damn they really did that. So, not only is the song amazing, he will always associate it with hearing it to this performance and it is still such a good song!!! The lyrics are insane. She did this when she was 23, only a year older than him, and boy did it light a fire under his ass.

And it also serves to keep him humble lmfao. Even though he isn’t Famous famous like his other family members he does have his own little corner of fame and can’t be out here falling in love with the attention.

Coisa Boa - Gloria Groove

Honestly, anything Gloria Groove puts out is pure gold to his ears. They don’t have to go as hard as they do, but they do it anyways! The really pronounced instrument that’s going on? Their singing??? Going from rapping to hitting that note at the end of “Quer papo de ousadia?” absolutely sends Laszlo off the rails. Like, there’s no other way to describe their style than Iconic. It’s fun and fighty and gah! So good!! Also it just being about getting the Squad and going ham is just, chef kisses. Again, his favorite songs are things that get him moving and grooving, and this ones ticks all the marks and so much more. One day they will release an album and on that day someone should check to make sure Laszlo is still alive.

Toxic - Brittany Spears

I mean what is there to say. The song is iconic, it came out when he was like 17. It was everything and still holds up today. The production on it still just boggles the mind. That like eeeeee sound??? The spy music break in the middle of it?? And the video!!! Art. The fact that she did the back handspring during the laser bit really just made him go insane. Cultural reset from the pop queen of the time. Turned him into a bigger Britney fan. Everything about it is so good. Another nostalgic one, but !! it still holds up baby!! If this is played he is legally required to perform.

El Mambo - Mon Laferte

Her voice is just?? out of this world. Laszlo is a huuuge fan of everything she puts out but this one really just took him out. Like she can hit some powerful vocals and that’s what the beginning seems like they’re counting up to, but when she came out of the gate just rapping about this guy who needs to get over himself, woooowie. And then she comes back for that mambo sound in the chorus and her beautiful voice going In, ugh. UGH. It’s so good!!! She is amazing and the instruments on this one really highlight that as well as making it groovy enough to dance around to as we say goodbye to toxic men and their overwhelming jealousy!!

Too Little Too Late - JoJo

I’m linking to the 2018 version because JoJo re-releasing all her music so that she can get the cash money from HER music is...stunning, amazing, love her and love that for her. This song was yet another cultural reset. And you know what, she just got better. Her vocals kick ass and the lyrics are still just as good as they were when they first came out. That high register run she does toward the end??? Okay?? go off!!! Another song about a wonderful lady kicking a man out of her life and becoming better for it. also she JUST came out with a Christmas album so go stream it.

Endless - Frank Ocean

Now this is the whole album because, honestly, that’s how it’s supposed to be listened to. There’s also the visual element that you’re supposed to watch while listening, but since that’s like no where to be found since Mr. Ocean’s people snatched it all up from the internet unless you want to buy it off Apple, this is all we get to work with. Which is fine, honestly. ANYWAYS, this whole album is just so beautiful. And no one really knows the full story behind where it came from or why Mr. Ocean made it, and that’s a whole over layer as to why Laszlo adores it!! Not only is the music stunning but the mystery surrounding it gives him life. Frank Ocean is another artist that he could press random on the entire discography and be happy with whatever decided to play, but THIS album is his favorite from the man. It may seem like the outtakes from Blonde but to Laszlo, they all feel intentional. It’s like peaking into a sketchbook versus the novel of Blonde, and that appeals to him!! There is a certain effort that needs to be put in to listen to it by finding it. So it’s that little bit of extra artistry that makes this album hit different than the others, plus the songs, though some very VERY short, are all GREAT. Every song has this sort of improv feeling almost? but feel effortless like all his other music. Some of them are really short, just snip bits of a song, but they don’t feel that way with how they flow together and cut one another off and it’s just a weird entity of music that feels fleeting and yet...endless.

#bdrpwrimo #bdrpwrimosid

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