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vinetae · 1 year

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BTS as boyfriends - PJM

A/n: Obviously I'm doing my bias first. Don't shame me ya'll, I've been having all these kinds of scenarios in my head for years now, and I need to share them cause they're just too cute.

Warning: I am going to be 100% honest in this. There are some toxic traits and qualities I think Jimin has, so for all of you saying 'NO MY BABY IS PERFECT-'

No, no he is not. He's human, and so are you. No human will ever be perfect, so stop setting the standard to impossible.

Just as friends(?):

I feel like Jimin would be very chill when it comes to dating. He said in his last live that he forgot about Valentine's Day until someone had mentioned it.

However, I see him becoming a bit more clingy to the person he likes. (It's been said before but I'll say it again, Jimin is a touchy person.)

I think he's the type to bring you along to any of the places he has to go for work. (As long as you're not seen in the public.)

He'd be very quiet and content with you when people are around

but when it's just the two of you, you're inseparable.

I'm talking truth or dare nights, looser who can't do either has to drink, face masks, skin care routines, and topping it off with some Disney or cartoon movie.

Now, if that's all just for being friends (who he likes) could you imagine the relationship???

Actually, once in a relationship with Jimin, I feel like he'd calm down a lot more. Not as nervous. If you were the right one, he'd be very calm and collected, even when it might just be only you two.

Now although Jimin's still a kid at heart, he also is a grown man. So I think he'd accidentally let a dirty joke slip once in a while. Especially when you first start dating, he'd use it as a gager to test your limits.

If you laugh, you're the one.

Late Nights:

Honestly? He'd get back so late he'd already be able to see the sun rising. I think Jimin would have a tendency to put his work before you. And if you can handle that? Ya'll go get married right now, because this man is practically addicted to working. He's a perfectionist, we all know it.

And I get it, he has tons of fans to please but damn this boy needs a break.

So for all the people out there saying that he'll be all cuddly and "yes, my queen?? would you like a foot bath??", sorry to dissapoint. You'd be likely the one holding Jimin together. From his own self-hatred and dislikes he's constantly pointing out about himself, you're surprised he isn't a pile of mush by now.

So, late nights would consist of you staying up and waiting for him to return back. From 1am, to 5 - you never know when he'll be back. And you don't mind. Because you're here to support him no matter what.

He's said it so himself how he wishes someone would just wash his body for him. So, yes. You'd most defiantly be guilted into giving him a bath from time to time. (He returns the favors, kids. Calm down.)

Jimin's battery level will almost always be drained. Especially if he has an album release coming, or is working on a choreography with one of the other members. Though, he will still try and be the best boyfriend he can. Buying you little things along the way to silently say "Hey, I still love you and I'm so thankful that you're in my life. I see you."

But then again, like I said; It'll be YOU holding him in the middle of the night due to his insecurities. His head tucked underneath your chin, as he silently weeps into your chest.

That's a harsh reality check, isn't it?

Living Together:

Now, when Jimin was in a good mood (thanks to your late night pep talks and early morning encouragements) He'd be like superman. Running around the apartment, trying to do anything and everything to repay you back. -even though it's his apartment- XD

Need the laundry done? He's on it. Want breakfast in bed? He's on- Uhm.. on second thought, he'll just order from your favorite cafe down the street.

He'd be really lovey and cuddly throughout the day before pecking you on the cheek, leaving for work.

He's actually quite easy to live with. However, the mess of the apartment had been mostly HIM, even though he's barely been at home. The breakfast he burned this morning still sat on the counter, making you sigh. The laundry hadn't even had the degergent poured in.

"It's the thought that counts."

Special Nights 👀:

Anybody who believes Jimin is a sub, get off my blog right now. I am a PROUD supporter of Dom!Jimin and not afraid to show it.

This man- this man is dangerous.

It started off slow. He'd come home after a long day at the studio, which he'd been with Namjoon to record his parts. You greeted him with a short 'hey' as you set the table for the two of you. He smiled, sitting himself down to eat dinner. The round table in his apartment had been pretty small, which earned him easy access to your foot.

"Jimin quit that"

"Hmm? Quit what?" He plays footsies under the table, I just know it.

You chuckle, kicking back at his foot. "That."

He smirks. "Oh, sorry, honey."

A few minutes go by before he's adding to the died down conversation. Rubbing the side of his finger against his lips (Ya'll know which live I'm talking about)

He smiles innocently (his intentions are anything but), wiggling over to your side to hug you closer.

"Mmm?" You reply, feeling the way his hand starts to climb its way up your thigh.

He takes your chin in hand, tilting it, forcing your eyes to gaze into his. "You're cute." He chuckles.

"Mmm, I know."

"You little brat."

"Oh?"

Before you know it his lips are crashing into yours.

Bodies exploring each other's as if you hadn't been doing this for the last two years.

He lifts you from the dinning chair, as your legs wrap around his torso.

This man ya'll- He loves edging, lemme tell you that right here and now.

Many of these other blog collectively agree on one thing.

Park Jimin is a menace in bed.

Praise, encouragement, and sweet words.

It's really a toss up between Fifty Shades Of Grey, or The Notebook. (Ones in which Jimin has both seen.)

So good fucking luck with that, my dudes.

He'd have you writhing under his gently touch, as his lips roll the most dirtiest things.

"You like it?"

"Come on baby, ugh- fuck you're so beautiful"

"God, you're so wet. My little dirty girl~"

His kisses are sloppy but passionate. Positions would usually include; Missionary, cowgirl and blowjobs.

I think he'd LIKE the idea of eating you out, but he'd be a little hesitant at first. I really don't think he has THAT much experience with girls, tbh. Maybe a few fucks here and there, but nothing too serious. His work had always gotten in the way.

Oh but sitting on his face - hop the fuck on. He'd be down for that any day, any week, any month, any year. ANY FUCKING TIME.

He just wanted you to suffocate him with your pussy, is that too much to ask?

That was his little dirty secret. His fantasy wish, as you may.

Though, he hadn't asked you to do that until you both practically had been halfway to marriage.

Honestly I think Jimin would be the most likely to wait until marriage, though. Is that too far of a stretch?

So, yeah. All in all, don't fuck with the man unless you're prepared to get RUINED.

Honestly I think aftercare would be pretty simple. No special bubble baths, no massages, no slippery oils. He'd prefer not to make a mess (because you'd get onto him and make him clean it up).

Aftercare would consist of a small little wipe down of the spots you'd gotten dirty,

maybe a quick change of sheets (they needed to be changed anyways), and a good, nice cuddling session to doze off to. Him being the big spoon

but during the middle of the night it'd turn into you spooning him. He's a dom, but still a baby when it comes to sleep, alright?

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Lemme know if you guys want me to make some for the other members too. Peace ✌

#BTS jimin #jimin boyfriend material #bts jimin smut #bts jimin fluff #bts as boyfriends #my personal opinion #this is pretty harsh so #warning lol #bts #bts masterlist #bts fics #park jimin #pjm #bts smut

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newmusickarl · 1 month

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youtube

5-9’s Album of the Month Podcast – latest episode out now!

In case you missed it, it’s an exciting new era for the 5-9 Album of the Month podcast as last month we launched our official YouTube channel! Each month, we will publishing the latest full podcast episode as well as individual album reviews and our monthly highlights outside of the albums discussed. To explore all our video content so far, including our January, February and March episodes, you can find our YouTube channel here. And to help support the channel as we get it off the ground, please be sure to like and subscribe if you’re enjoying the content!

For those new here, the 5-9 Album of the Month Podcast is where I take a seat alongside 5-9 Editor Andrew Belt and Check This Out’s Kiley Larsen to review five high profile album releases from the past month in music, and ultimately name one as our Album of the Month at the end of the discussion. On the Spotify version, we also have some insightful background information to each album from Blinded By The Floodlight’s Matthew McMcLister and you can also hear our picks of the best songs from each record!

For our March 2024 episode, the five albums we discuss are:

Beach Day by Another Sky (poll winner, thank you!)

Mountainhead by Everything Everything

I Got Heaven by Mannequin Pussy

Playing Favorites by Sheer Mag

Where’s My Utopia? By Yard Act

If you want to listen to this or any previous episodes simply follow the links below, but also be sure to follow 5-9 Blog on Instagram, Twitter and now YouTube for more news and polls relating to the podcast.

Listen to the new episode on Spotify here

Watch the latest episode and subscribe to our YouTube channel here

Album & EP Recommendations

ACT II: COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé

Yee-bloody-haw!

It’s a Country & Western inspired New Music roundup this week, so it only makes sense to begin with one of the biggest album releases of the year thus far – COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé.

I’ll be the first to admit that when ACT I: RENAISSANCE was cleaning up with the year-end awards amongst most music critics in 2022, I wasn’t as impressed. Whilst it was a fun project and certainly had its moments, I personally thought it failed to live up to its predecessor, B’s confessional masterpiece Lemonade. I also thought there were much better records released in 2022, to the point that RENAISSANCE didn’t even make my own Top 50. However, when I heard Queen B was following up her House and Dance-inspired record with a Country album, I was instantly intrigued.

Daddy Lessons off Lemonade had previously given us a taste of what a Beyoncé-Goes-Country track could sound like, but there’s a big difference between delivering one moment within an eclectic, genre-hopping rollercoaster and sustaining a whole album in that style. Even more so when that album is 27 tracks and 78 minutes long! But having seen very some positive reviews and my intrigue only heightening as a result, I dove into this one with the expectation that it would be another overhyped project – I was wrong. Whilst I wasn’t onboard with RENAISSANCE, I absolutely am with COWBOY CARTER.

Firstly, if the track length on this one is putting you off, don’t let that be the case. This album is such a fun, joyous time, that the 78-minute runtime just flies along. The album is also structured almost like a show you’d find on a Country Music radio station, with the legendary Willie Nelson himself guiding you through the “SMOKE HOUR”, with these interludes helping to keep the pace ticking along swiftly.

Most importantly though, the album is simply littered with stand-out moments from beginning to end. Singles 16 CARRIAGES and TEXAS HOLD ‘EM still sound great, but it’s the album tracks where the album really comes alive, with the likes of BODYGUARD, AMERIICAN REQUIEM, DAUGHTER and RIIVERDANCE blending elements of pop, soul and R&B seamlessly with the sounds of B’s Louisiana roots. There’s two instantly iconic covers as well that Beyoncé makes her own, turning The Beatles’ BLACKBIIRD into an empowering gospel anthem whilst switching the lyrics up on Dolly Parton’s JOLENE to reference Jay-Z’s infidelity – which also happens to include a blessing from Parton herself. To top it off, there’s also a bunch of interesting and worthwhile collaborations too, including country music heroes Linda Martell and Willie Jones, along with contemporary crossover popstars Miley Cyrus and Post Malone.

Overall, COWBOY CARTER is an album I’ve enjoyed much more than I was expecting to, so much so that I find myself returning to it fairly frequently. If you’re also feeling sceptical but slightly intrigued, I promise it is worth a spin. A really fun record filled with heart, soul, fascinating collabs and Beyoncé’s ever incredible vocal and genre gymnastics. Bring on ACT III!

Listen here

Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker

From Country to Folk now, with Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker donning her best Cowboy hat for the album cover to her latest solo outing, Bright Future. Whilst I can sometimes find Big Thief’s output easy to admire but hard to love, this one hit me in the gut straight away. Raw and impactful, it’s a collection of tracks where each song feels more emotionally devastating than the last.

Not only that but these are songs that feel instantly classic, with Lenker’s heartfelt songwriting radiating out of the music. The string-tinged melancholy of Sadness As A Gift is a big early highlight, whilst the lo-fi energy of Vampire Empire, heart-shattering piano ballad Evol and acoustic lament Candleflame all leave a strong lasting impression too, all in very different ways. Such is the emotional heft wrapped in these songs, by the time you reach gorgeous closing track Ruined, it’s likely you’ll be just that!

Whilst this is an album you have to be in the right mood for as it can be a hard listen at times, if it catches you in that opportune moment then the rewards are unparallelled to anything else released so far this year. Without a doubt, one of the best, most beautiful records of 2024 yet.

Listen here

Tigers Blood by Waxahatchee

When Katie Crutchfield, AKA Waxahatchee, released her sobriety-seeking fifth studio album Saint Cloud at the height of the COVID-pandemic in March 2020, she couldn’t have imagined the impact it would generate. Here was an album brimming with emotional turmoil, at a time when the world was dealing with just that. As a result, it was the perfect album for the perfect time, steering Saint Cloud towards a spot on many year-end lists and Waxahatachee gaining plenty of new fans to boot. 4 years on, and Tigers Blood finds Katie Crutchfield looking to recapture the magic of that record with another collection of country-infused indie and Southern rock jams. And just like its predecessor, I’m pleased to say its chock-full of outstanding cuts.

From the uplifting stomp of opener 3 Sisters, the bluesy riffs of Ice Cold to the brilliantly laid-back, MJ Lenderman-featuring single Right Back To It, you’ll find yourself wrapped up in the warming sounds straight away. However, it is the even more stripped-back second half where the strength of Katie’s raw, honest songwriting really shines through, with Crimes of the Heart, 365, The Wolves and the closing title track all hitting hard.

Whilst I can see some people being left lukewarm by this one coming off the back of Saint Cloud, for me personally I think I’m enjoying Tigers Blood possibly even more than that record. Whilst it still has the traditional melodies and relatable lyrics, it feels like Katie has stepped things up once again with her songcraft. Either way, this is another superb collection that I suspect will see her return to the year-end lists come December.

Listen here

All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade by The Libertines

Whilst they were a big part of my teens, I’ll be honest I had minimal enthusiasm when it came to hearing a new Libertines album in 2024. Whilst Carl Barât and Pete Doherty had previously reunited almost ten years ago on Anthems For Doomed Youth, it sadly sounded like two musicians trying desperately to recapture a long lost formula, at a time when indie landfill was hitting maximum capacity. However following a couple of decent singles, I decided to let nostalgia take over and give the quartet the benefit of the doubt, spinning this album with a completely open mind. What I found was an album that defied all my expectations, with The Libertines arguably sounding even more urgent now in 2024 than they did back in the early noughties.

With their ever-present Likely Lads charm, Barât and Doherty turn their pen onto the current state of Britain, through both politics and people. Their music is also richer and more textured than ever before, with their traditional indie sound bolstered by dramatic brass arrangements, sweeping strings and theatrical production. It all comes together to form arguably their strongest record to date, a dazzling 38-minute listen where the band sound more focussed, more interesting and generally just having much more to say.

It’s also got some of their very best songs to date, from singles Run Run Run, Night of the Hunter and Shiver to the raucous look at the Ukraine War on I Have A Friend and the jazz-infused Baron’s Claw. However, the album’s crown jewel is without a doubt Merry Old England, a powerful, orchestral ode to migrants coming to the UK that is as impactful as it richly textured, both sonically and lyrically.

This has been one of the biggest surprises of the year so far for me, an album I was never expecting to love as much as I do. My hat is well and truly tipped to Carl, Pete, Gary and John, who prove they are more than an old indie act trying to relive past glories. Whilst the nostalgia of the early records will always have a hold over their die-hard fans, there’s no doubt that if they look beyond rose-tinted glasses, they’ll see this is objectively their finest work to date.

Listen here

The Sunset Violent by Mount Kimbie

One of my most played albums of April thus far, Mount Kimbie recently returned with their first studio album in seven years, bringing with them a new line-up and a new sound. Back this time as a quartet rather than a duo, The Sunset Violent sees the usually electronic outfit dive into a more indie/alternative sound to great effect. With King Krule also showing up to guest on a couple of tracks, it’s a gorgeous 36-minute listen seemingly destined to soundtrack warm and hazy summer evenings. There’s plenty of highlights too, with Shipwreck, Fishbrain and Yukka Tree all utter bliss.

Listen here

Incommunicado EP by Express Office Portico

A bittersweet release this, as Notts indie-pop outfit Express Office Portico finally released their debut EP at the end of March. However, the release of the project also coincided with the news that lead singer Tara would be stepping down from the band. A huge loss who leaves big shoes to fill, Incommunicado thankfully manages to work as both a final chapter for the band at this stage, as well as an insight into their flourishing potential. Featuring five catchy and shimmering indie-pop grooves, its highlighted by No One, In Swim and excellent recent single He Said She Said.

Listen here

Field Theory by Melts

“Dublin psych-rockers MELTS are one of those bands that very much live up to their name. With the quartet binding together after leaving various dissolved bands, MELTS’ 2022 debut ‘Maelstrom’ was a bold mission statement for their kaleidoscopic, mind-altering sound. Landing them somewhere in the venn diagram of contemporaries such as The Horrors, Working Men’s Club and Nation of Language, while still very much forming their own identity, it was an impressive first outing that left fans eager for the next chapter. Now back with their sophomore effort ‘Field Theory’, it’s no surprise to hear MELTS mostly stick with their winning formula for album number two. Overall, this is another hugely impressive release from MELTS and one that expands the fluorescent sonic world that was laid out on their debut. You also can’t help but feel that these songs on ‘Field Theory’ are built to thrive even more in a live setting, with the Dublin outfit assuredly building a catalogue of soaring, mind-melting compositions that just scream to be experienced in-person. Due to hit the road at the end of the month, those joining MELTS at these shows be pleasantly warned – you may just have your senses steamrolled.”

Read my full review for Clash Magazine here

Listen here

Also well worth checking out:

Three by Four Tet

Audio Vertigo by Elbow

Interplay by Ride

Ohio Players by The Black Keys

Older by Lizzy McAlpine

Blessed EP by August Charles

Tracks of the Week

1+1 = 11 by Peggy Gou

For years, DJ/Producer Peggy Gou has been Queen of the Summer banger, releasing just one single every year to ensure an all hits, no misses ratio. From Starry Night and I Go to last summer’s monster hit (It Goes Like) Nanana, she’s been unstoppable. So, with the news that her debut album I Hear You will finally drop this June, my expectations are already sky high for the 10 tracks that I’m hoping will soundtrack Summer 2024.

Coinciding with the news is her latest single offering 1+1 = 11, the song which will close out her upcoming debut. With shades of York classic On The Beach, it comes accompanied by a dazzling video starring artist Olafur Eliasson breakdancing inside a light installation at his studio in Berlin. Check it out!

Watch the official video here

B2b / Von Dutch / Club Classics by Charli XCX

The biggest album announcement of the past few weeks, electro-pop phenomenon Charli XCX will be releasing her new club-inspired album Brat this June and then touring UK arenas at the end of the year. Coming off the back of her instantly iconic Boiler Room set, the three singles so far suggest big inspiration from the dance and electronic music scene and I personally can’t wait for it.

Listen here

House by London Grammar

Another big album announcement, indie-pop outfit London Grammar have finally announced the follow-up to 2021’s Californian Soil will drop in September, titled The Greatest Love. That record saw the band explore more electronic territory and if lead single / opening track House is anything to go by, it seems they will be building out that sound further on this upcoming effort.

Listen here

Curse by Architects

The metal world was shocked earlier on this year when Bring Me The Horizon announced back in January that longtime band composer Jordan Fish was leaving the band. Since then fans were left wondering where he would end up and but it seems he has wasted little time moving on, already producing several tracks for other genre heavyweights. The latest is this thunderous new single from Architects, which boasts polished production and an instantly anthemic chorus.

Listen here

Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts by The Gaslight Anthem

Back in 2008, rock heroes The Gaslight Anthem released their much beloved Señor and the Queen EP, with this song the closing track for the project. Now as part of their History Books (Short Stories) EP that was released to coincide with their recent UK tour, they’ve reworked the song so that it sounds even better than it did before – just gorgeous.

Listen here

How Can I Love Her More? By The Lemon Twigs

With anticipation for the D'Addario brother’s follow-up to their highly acclaimed 2023 album Everything Harmony steadily mounting, each new single release suggests another special project is on the way. Now this latest cut to be taken from A Dream Is All We Know (which drops in May) only hypes things further, an instantly timeless tune that draws heavy comparisons to The Beach Boys. Wonderful!

Listen here

Red Holiday by Dura Mater

And finally fast-rising Notts 8-piece Dura Mater, who draw comparisons to bands like Black Country New Road, Arcade Fire and Opus Kink, released their second single Red Holiday this past week, which is taken from their forthcoming Arable Ground EP that drops at the end of May. This latest single, which is inspired by coastal living, showcases their potential, bringing together ghostly vocals, ambient guitars and powerful orchestration.

Listen here

Also worth checking out:

Human After All by Blue Violet

First Song by Swim Deep

Flea by St. Vincent

Mama Say by Ibibio Sound Machine

Big Brown Eyes by Lola Young

Coming Back To Me Good by Kasabian

Midas by Wunderhorse

Favourite Songs by Maxïmo Park

REMINDER: If you use Apple Music, you can also keep up-to-date with all my favourite 2024 tracks through my Best of 2024 playlist. Constantly updated throughout the year with songs I enjoy, it is then finalised into a Top 100 Songs of the Year in December.

Add the Best of 2024 playlist to your library here

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allylikethecat · 3 months

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ok queen i actually have some important questions so i can better picture all your matty and georgei (iykyk)

ykwtc is st and ducklings is abiior era right?

but how do they look in oaf and the equestrian fic?

Hello! Thank you very much for this VERY important question lol I have decided to be extra and include my own visual reference photos. (I am obsessed with the curls though so the curls will always be present lol) They are all taken from pinterest / google and credit goes to their owners.

You are correct, You Know Where the City Is, is part of the self titled era, which then bleeds into the start of the I Like It When You Sleep era (because of Fictional!Matty's PR relationship, the time line is moved up to capitalize on the current media attention and popularity that is occurring in my little fictional world!)

In my mind, Make Way for Ducklings takes place in this weird space somewhere between I Like It When You Sleep and A Brief Inquiry. In my little universe, Fictional!Matty's trip to rehab delayed a second leg of a US tour, and also them finishing their next album, so it's a weird little fictional in between era.

On a Friday actually takes place in the FUTURE in a post Being Funny Era where they are working on their sixth studio album. I love George's bleached buzz cut and I also love Matty's curls so both of those things are going to be present lol

FINALLY in my lovely Equestrian AU All the King's Horses I imaged them to be in their mid to late twenties. However, bleach blonde buzz cut George is my favorite, and curly center part Matty is one of my favorites so we are combining those looks!

And BONUS here is Vampire!Fictional!Matty and Vampire!Fictional George 😂

Thank you so much for sending in this ask! I had way too much fun compiling pictures for this one, I have such a clear image of what they look like in my head while I'm writing, it was fun to find pictures that matched that and share it! Thank you so much for reading and the continued support! I hope you are having the very best week!

❤️Ally

#allylikethecat #ask ally #anon ask #fanfiction #keep it kind #matty fic #fanfic #gatty #I had way too much fun finding photos lol #thank you for this ask #since this is fan FICTION #i have kind of blended some of the eras together and made my own timelines #hopefully they're easy enough to follow along with!#thank you for reading!!

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andswarwrites · 1 year

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Day 16

This is the first time so far this month that I am deviating from what I had planned to write for the day. I'd planned to talk about some of the challenges N- faces, but I decided those are her stories to tell, and not mine. Even though she is very open about what she goes through in life, and I checked with her to ask if I had her permission to write on the subject, I still can't do it. So rather than talk about the challenges she copes with, I'd like to discuss her gifts. Specifically, how this kid just breathes music.

I wonder how much her father and I had to do with that. I remember making playlists of music I loved from a wide range of genres and playing them for entire afternoons while pregnant, because I knew that even while in the womb, a baby can hear music. Now N- was a very active infant, she was constantly moving and kicking, but while music played she would go still. Unless she objected to the song, that is. How do I know she kicked me when she disliked the song, you ask? Because after she was born, she would cry when I played those same songs that had made her kick me.

Spending five weeks in the N.I.C.U. meant my baby got accustomed to constant noise: voices, alarms, the phone ringing. We were warned that our baby might have trouble falling asleep in absolute silence. We came up with a solution: we put on Muse albums to help her fall asleep, specifically Absolution and The Resistance. S- and I had a habit of listening to music in the car, and N- was introduced at a very young age to Daft Punk, Queen, POTUS, The Beatles, Daughter, the list goes on.

The house that my parents had built was furnished with a piano, and whenever my mom would visit, she would play. I have a video I took of Mom playing, and N- sitting in her high chair next to her grandmother, babbling happily and running her chubby little fingers over the keys. Mom noticed that unlike other children, who had a tendency to pound on the keys, N- would actually make little melodies. Mom purchased My First Piano Adventure books for my daughter, and every time they saw one another, they'd have a lesson.

When we moved to the South Shore my Mom recommended that we get N- a keyboard and look for a teacher for her. There was a Long and McQuade near our house, and we saw that they were offering piano lessons, so we signed our daughter up. N-'s teacher was a quiet, gentle young man, who went above and beyond just teaching. For example, N- composed a piece, and her teacher transcribed it for her. He gave it to her as a gift. At the start of the pandemic, N- could no longer have her lessons in person, so for a while she had them over Zoom.

Unfortunately, N-'s teacher had to find other work, so he could no longer continue N-'s lessons. That was when N- began to take lessons with my mom. In order for that to work, I have to be in the room, because once her fingers touch the keys N- is in her own little world, so if my mom wants to say anything to her at all, I need to intervene, to help Mom get through to her student. And we've learned that in order to get N- to focus on music theory, she can't sit in front of the piano; the keys are like a magnet to her fingers.

My sister gave N- a guitar. N- likes to play it, but she doesn't have endurance: the strings hurt her fingertips. I told her if she perseveres she'll get callouses, but she's not quite ready to suffer for her art. N- and I also sing together. I get into trouble when I don't respect the timing of the song, however. N- and I have very similar music tastes; she introduced me to Chillhop, and her current favorite group is Crystal Castles. Her Dad has very specific music tastes, and N- will request certain songs from his SoundCloud, again, driving in the car.

I think of our family's music tastes like a venn diagram. There's my tastes and there's S-'s and there's N-'s, and there are songs both S- and I agree on, and there are songs that both N- and I agree on, and there are songs S- and N- agree on, and then, in the middle, are the songs the whole family can listen to happily. I guess that's how all families are. Except maybe some families don't really have music they can all enjoy together. I'm so glad that's not the case with our family. I'd say S- is the pickiest of the three of us, and when he likes a sound he can listen to it on repeat for months, and then he substitutes it for a new song or collection of songs. For a while it was Bad Lip Reading; that was actually pretty fun.

You know something I just realized? S- and I have always wanted to include N- in what we enjoy doing: before she was even born I couldn't wait to share our music with her, my favorite books, our favorite shows, our favorite movies, our favorite meals and treats. Of course we want her to have her own preferences, and we respect them, in fact it delights me when she shares with me that she now has a favorite movie, book, color, style. As she comes into her own, in so many different ways, I am even influenced by her. I respect her opinion and personal style.

And to wrap up, when it comes to music, she has it in her very soul. She always has. Ever since she started playing her own compositions, I could detect her mood based on the piece she was creating. When her hamster died, she composed a dirge, and you could hear how much her little heart was mourning. Other times, she simply overflows with happiness. I hope she will continue to express herself through her music, all her life. Just like my writing keeps me grounded, I think her music will help her to process the ups and downs she goes through. And what an amazing gift, to create something that others can enjoy and relate to.

#motherhood #music #personal

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pintsizeddeepthoughts · 1 year

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My Quirky Taste in Music: Ballad of the Broken Seas - Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan

Year Released: 2006

Country: United Kingdom

It has been almost year since the death singer/songwriter Mark Lanegan, my favorite singer. Over the next month I will be posting a series of reviews of albums that had stuck with me through the years, starting with my favorite album of all time.

After the tour supporting Screaming Trees’s final album Dust ended, the band would go on hiatus and eventually disband. By this time Make Lanegan had established his own solo career (1994’s Whiskey for the Holy Ghost is unusually excellent) but the end of Screaming Trees marked the beginning of a long and fruitful period for Lanegan where he collaborated with a series of artists. It was no surprise when Lanegan showed up as a part time player for hard rock group Queens of the Stone Age. However, it was very surprising when he joined forces with Scottish singer/cellist Isobel Campbell, formerly of the band Belle & Sebastian. Campbell had written a series of songs that she pictured an American male voice singing. Her songs ended in the hands of Lanegan, who cut demos and sent them to her. A partnership was born.

At a glance it shouldn’t work. By this time Lanegan’s blues growl had settled into something more raw, ragged, and rich as decades of substance use and abuse took its toll. As Nick Cave would later note, there was something quintessentially male about Lanegan; which makes Campbell’s vocal contribution all that more interesting. Almost every review of this album focuses on the Beauty and the Beast contrast. It’s impossible not to. Just listen to the duo’s take on the Hank Williams classic “Ramblin’ Man”. Lanegan sings it straight, sounding every bit like a haunted drifter. Over him hovers Campbell, angelic and whispering waifishly in his ear in a doomed attempt to get him to stay home.

Other times throughout the album Lanegan and Cambell harmonize, their opposite vocal levels creating a cozy atmosphere. The music lends itself well to that, ranging from folk to the blues influences found on some of Lanegan’s solo efforts.

The showcase for me is the album’s closer - “The Circus is Leaving Town”. Sung from the point of view of a mature lover longing for and appreciating his lover at the end of a taxing day, the song aches with need. An organ floats in the background, rising and falling with the song’s emotions. That emotional drive is provided largely by Lanegan, who sings it solo. His voice finds nuance in every nook and cranny of the lyrics. By the time he hums the finish you feel the character’s gratification as the sun sets. You feel the same as the album ends on a perfect note.

#my quirky taste in music #album review #music reveiw #mark lanegan #isobel campbell #ballad of the broken seas

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edge-of-17-seas-of-rhye · 1 year

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secret santa here!! it's my first year participating too, excited to be a part of it!! how's your day been?

guessing from the url that you're a queen and fleetwood mac/stevie nicks fan... fave songs from them? i absolutely LOVE queen but i'm a bit less familiar with fleetwood mac's back catalogue so I'd love some recs!!

- 🤘🎅

My day has been pretty good, I hope yours was as well! :)

Ooo so a quick rabbit trail, I really need to start listening through artists discography’s, I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve not listened through Queens and they’re my favorite band lol. It’s more like I need to listen to more full albums, I’m a very sporadic listener, but I’m getting better. Currently in the process of fixing this dilemma…

However… from Queen my favorite songs are Dreamer’s Ball, Made in Heaven, Play The Game, It’s a Hard Life, Melancholy Blues, honestly there are so many. I was pretty obsessed with All Dead, All Dead, Brian May’s vocals are so stunning in this song. Also I really enjoy Let Me Live, such a pretty song and I really love Roger’s voice in this song ❤️

From Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks I really love Little Lies, Don’t Stop, Go Your Own Way, Gold Dust Woman, Dreams. All their hits are honestly rightly deserved they’re all fantastic.

So if your planning on getting into Fleetwood Mac, we’re probably gonna be on the journey together lol. I’m starting my journey further into their catalogue, as I said I’m a sporadic listener. BUT, I can suggest some songs.

These are from Stevie’s solo career: Kind Of Woman, Rooms On Fire, Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You is a stunning song. From Fleetwood Mac’s discog I really love Never Going Back Again, Seven Wonders, Sara, Crystal

#SRS22

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weelittleweasley · 4 years

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Muggle Music | Draco x Reader

Prompt: As a muggle born Hufflepuff you find comfort in your muggle music and books when you are feeling anxious or insecure. Although Draco has been known to have a distaste for muggles or of muggle descent, however you when it comes to you, his opinions change.

Warnings: angst, fluff

Word Count: 2.5k

A/N: Hi all! So sorry I haven’t been as active this weekend. I took the time to relax and have a little fun and unwind before things get crazy work wise with me. Hopefully I’ll be back to pumping out fics again by tomorrow!

You delicately place the record on your player that is perched happily on top of your dresser as music starts to play as the record spins. The sounds of the familiar verses and chorus melt away any anxieties that were plaguing you through the day. Stevie Nicks’s voice washed over you as you allowed your body to sway gently to the music.

Being muggle born wasn’t something you normally worn with a badge of pride at school. You were a little embarrassed that you never grew up around magic and its brilliance, rather you grew up with the mundaneness that was being ordinary for so long. But nothing could quite cheer you up like listening to muggle music or reading a good book that your mother bought from the book store. It was simple, but it never failed to make you feel at home, swallowed with warmth and comfort through these tiny vessels of your muggle upbringing.

Aside from not growing up with magic and missing out on the portion, you were also embarrassed of being a muggle especially because of who you were dating. Everyone and their mother knew that the Malfoy lineage was strict about marrying pure and only having children that would be pure bloods. You had been dating Draco for only a couple of months, but you did feel insecure about his dating history and how it has only been with pure bloods. You were the first to break that streak. Draco didn’t expect to fall for you, but when it happened, it happened fast and every thought he had about you not being a pureblood washed away. But there was always that little voice inside his head that spoke, What would mother and father think about this?

You swayed to Fleetwood Mac, trying to keep your negative thoughts at bay about how scared you were that Draco was going to break up with you because of your blood status. Earlier that day you had heard Pansy Parkinson gossiping to her posse about how Draco deserved to be with a pure blood and not some “mudblood” like you were. When you heard the words fall from her mouth, you wanted to cry. She was right. Draco deserved someone who would make his family proud and you would not do that.

You didn’t even notice the tears falling from your eyes until they ran across your lips, the salty taste on your tongue. Rhiannon softly played in the background as you wiped your tears away with the backs of your hand. This was such a silly thing to cry over, but you couldn’t help but feel the way you did. Your insecurities were getting the best of you again.

Suddenly, a gentle few knocks come from your door. You suck up your sniffles and wipe what remains of the tears away. Glancing in the mirror, you check your appearance before opening the door. And there he stood. Draco in his Slytherin robes, his white blonde hair combed back, and sneaky little smile. He pulled you in for a tight hug by your contrasting Hufflepuff robes, breathing your scent in as you relaxed under his touch. “Good afternoon, darling,” Draco squeezes you, planting a kiss on your forehead.

“Hi,” you mutter into his chest before pulling away, letting him inside your room.

Draco enters, plopping his bag down at your desk. He contorts his face and says, “What is that?” as if to be disgusted by the music you are playing. Your heart sinks gently into your stomach as his face looks confused.

You feel like your insecurities are now sticking out like a sore thumb. The things that bring you comfort make Draco contort with disgust. “Oh, sorry,” you quickly rush to your record player and turn off Fleetwood Mac as Landslide gets cut off. Too bad, that was your favorite song on that album. “It was my music from home. Mum gave me a few albums to take with me if I ever needed a taste of home. I didn’t know you were coming over or else I wouldn’t have played it.”

Draco suddenly grows disappointed in himself. Something you had loved so dearly and had such fond memories attached to was something he was taught to deplore. His disgust with all things doing with muggles made you upset because you were muggle born. Which in turn, meant he was supposed to hate where you came from. How could hate someone as lovely, considerate, and gentle as you? It would be impossible. “Don’t apologize. It’s your room, you play whatever you want. You can keep playing it if you want to,” he urges, hoping that you’ll play the music again just so he can see you happy, dancing along to whatever rhythm played from the odd machine you tinkered with.

Shaking your head, you insist, “No, I don’t want to play it anymore. It’ll just make me sad.” Sad because you miss home and sad because you know that Draco and you come from two separate worlds and he hated yours. Or so you thought. You chose to ignore the sad smile on Draco’s face. “Let’s change the subject, shall we?”

As you talked to Draco about your plans for the upcoming weekend in Hogsmeade, he couldn’t help but be distracted by his own thoughts. He hated knowing that you were uncomfortable and insecure of your muggle history. He hated that he was conditioned from such a young age to have a distaste in those things thanks to his father’s upbringing. Draco’s heart strings were strung any time he noticed you shift in your seat when someone bought up not being of pureblood descent. You would get very quiet and minutes later excuse yourself to go somewhere else away from the people who had insulted you in passing. He knew he wanted to make it up to you, but it was just a matter of how he would do it.

----

A few days later, you parked yourself at a table in the library, studying and doing homework quietly, scribbling down in your notebook every once in a while. As you jot down notes, you didn’t notice Pansy pass your table. “Studying hard mudblood?” she coos sarcastically at you.

“Please leave me alone, Pansy,” you quietly plead. You just needed to study. That was all. You didn’t need to be reminded of all of your insecurities in the middle of the library for everyone around you to watch your discomfort.

Pansy leans on the table. “Why? Because Draco can’t defend you?” she spits. “I’m still shocked that he’s with a loathsome creature like yourself. Aren’t you embarrassed? You’ll never quite live up to his or his parents expectations? I mean, what’s going to happen when you meet his parents? Let’s see if you even make it up to that point.”

Tears start to prick in your eyes as you attempt to swallow the lump in your throat. “Go away, Pansy,” you speak gently, no malice in your voice even though you had wished there would be.

“Am I talking about a sensitive topic?” she asks, knowing damn well what sees doing. “Admit it, (Y/N). You’re no good for Malfoy. You and your little muggle music and muggle books. You’ll never be enough for him.”

With that, you gather all of your stuff and dash out of the library, the laughs of Pansy echoing in the library. As you turn the corner, you bump into the person you wished most not to. “Hi, love,” Draco speaks, happy to see you until he sees the hot tears streaming down your face. “Hold on, wait a minute, what’s wrong?” he grabs your arms, looking at you in the eyes.

You shake your head, “I have to go.” You push past your boyfriend, running out of the library, completely horrified of what just went down. Running down the halls and up the stairs, you try to avoid the stares of concerned students and passing, (Y/N), are you okays. You just wanted to get back to your room.

Opening the door with a swing and then slamming it shut, you inhale a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down. You were away from Pansy now and her torturous comments. Looking to your desk, you know exactly what you needed no matter how much it reminded you of your past. You grabbed another record from your stash that you tucked away in your drawer and plucked Queen from the pile. As you placed it on your record player, the sounds of the Jazz album filling your dormitory, sending soothing waves of comfort through you, drying your tears instantly.

Meanwhile in the library, Draco marched over to Pansy, steam bellowing from his ears. Pansy’s smile fell as she saw the pissed boy. “I don’t know what you said, but to be quite frank, Parkinson, I’m not surprised it was something rude and selfish, much like yourself,” Draco spit at her.

Pansy rolls her eyes, “Come on, Draco. You know better than anyone that you don’t belong with a mudblood. You need to stick with your own kind.”

Draco’s blood is boiling. “First of all, you know shit about what is best for me, Pansy, so I’d suggest keeping your fat nose out of my business. Second, muggle born or not, (Y/N) is a brilliant, beautiful person who is a better witch than you will ever be. If I even sense you close to (Y/N) again, consider yourself done for,” Draco scolds Pansy as her face turns parchment white.

After his little meltdown, Draco leaves the library. On a mission to find you and comfort you after what just happened.

In your room, you lay on your bed, listening to your muggle music, as you glide your fingers over the binding of your favorite muggle book, The Scarlet Letter. Maybe Pansy was right? You should just stick to your muggle things and stay away from what is muggle born. It would be for the best.

Your thoughts are disturbed when you hear a knock at the door. You groan, emerging from your position on your bed. The door opens and there’s Draco who wastes no time in scooping you up in a hug. “Don’t listen to her,” he speaks into your hair. “She has no idea what she’s talking about. She is jealous.”

“But she’s right, Draco. I’m a dumb muggle born who doesn’t belong in your world. You were destined to hate me and everything I come from. It should stay that way before things get too complicated,” you try to reason with him as Draco shakes his head in disbelief. “You’ve only dated purebloods, Draco. Ever since we got here, you’ve dated purebloods and purebloods only. I haven’t dated anyone and Merlin, it’s year six! Now, my first ever boyfriend is not supposed to like people like me.”

Draco’s heart breaks hearing you talk about yourself like this. “You mean someone who is considerate? Someone who is compassionate? Someone who loves people for their hearts?” he retorts as you ignore him. “(Y/N), I don’t care if you are pureblood or not. I want you and you only.”

Your heart should be swelling with joy, but it only makes it break. “I need to be alone right now, Dray. Please,” you whisper, holding your face in your hands. “Just leave me be for right now.”

Everything is screaming for Draco to stay and work this out with you, but he knows you need some space. He just shakes his head and leaves your room sadly. When the door closes, you don’t hesitate in letting the tears fall again.

-----

Potions class was finally dismissed as you walked alone in the halls, trying to distance yourself from everyone, to scurry away in your room, curling up into your bed while listening to more muggle music, wishing you were home with your mother and father and siblings.

Draco hadn’t come to talk to you since the library incident two days prior. He didn’t even bother trying to find you when your class took the weekend trip to Hogsmeade. You figured that he was out of your life for good and no matter how much you wanted him to stay, you knew it was best for the both of you. The relationship wouldn’t have worked out anyway. It was best for you to part separate ways.

As you approach your dormitory, you hear the faint chorus of Paul Anka’s Put Your Head On My Shoulder coming from the other side of your door. Your eyebrows furrow. Did I leave the record player on? I don’t even have that record though? You push the door open to reveal a Draco standing the middle of your room, Paul Anka playing on your record player. “What are you doing?” you ask him right off the bat.

Draco has a small smile on his lips. “Doing what I should have done when I asked you to be mine,” he claims as he grabs your hands. “When we took the trip to Hogsmeade this weekend, I bought some muggle records they had in the back of the shoppe as well as some new books for your collection,” he points to three large stacks of records and books on your desk as a smile threatens to spill on your lips. “I should have made an effort to learn about what you grew up with. But better late than never?” he suggests as you engulf him in the most enormous hug you can muster. Draco laughs as you squeeze him tight, his grip on you iron. “I took some time to listen to some of your favorite records and I stayed up all last night reading your favorite book.”

“You read The Scarlet Letter?” you ask in disbelief. The surprises never stopped when it came to Draco. He proudly nodded. “I can’t believe you would do all of this for me...this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

Draco’s heart swells with pride. “It’s what you deserve,” he simply states. “Now,” he extends his hand to you. “Will you join me for a dance?”

Giggling, you accept his hand as the two of you rock gently to the sounds of Paul Anka on your record player, gazing into each others eyes as you smile like an idiot. “I can’t believe you sometimes, Malfoy,” you shake your head. “What do you think of it? The music, the book?”

“To be honest with you, it’s not half bad. The ABBA album is pretty good,” he shrugs, making you laugh wildly, throwing your head back. “Now that’s music to my ears,” he refers to your laughter as you blush.

For the next few hours, you and Draco listen to your new albums he purchased for you as you lecture him on muggle books and authors, him smiling wide as you speak passionately about them. Although Draco knew his father would have a field day when he heard about this, he couldn’t care less. You were happy and that’s all that mattered to Draco.

#draco #draco imagine #draco malfoy #draco x female reader #draco x you #draco malfoy imagine #draco malfoy oneshot #draco malfoy fanficiton #draco malfoy x female reader #draco x reader #draco malfoy x reader #draco x hufflepuff!reader #hp #harry potter #harry potter fanfic #harry potter imagine #draco malfoy x hufflepuff!reader #hufflepuff x draco #hufflepuff

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insomniziam · 3 years

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People who believe in zigi... I wonder if they think of this like. Since Zayn keeps calling out the industry (that it's a cage he's trapped in), fake friends, that he doesn't want to be a part of this, doesn't want to answer to certain questions so he replies to fanart instead, etc. Don't they wonder why he willingly participate in pap walks and all ? Coz given all the things he's said, it'd mean that he only participates coz he has to and not coz he wants to. And then, why would he have to? Coz of contracts duh!

Hey nonnie, thanks for sharing your thoughts with me!

And I very much agree with you! To put it frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't care. Not that I can blame them, because there is actually a lot of digging necessary to actually understand what's going on behind the scenes, and a lot of people don't have the time to worry about such things.

However, some of it is completely blatant, like the fact that G can't answer basic questions about Zayn correctly, like his nationality, or how they first apparently got together, or the fact that they don't even take a baby bag with them when taking G's daughter to the Aquarium 🤦‍♀️. Things I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them swept under the rug under the guise that they think G and Zayn look good together, and spend way too much time fantasizing over their "relationship", no matter how toxic its portrayal. (Each to their own, I guess).

But Zayn has known how to fly under the radar for years now. He could travel from the US back to his family in Bradford and we wouldn't know until his family post photos with him weeks after the fact. What is their justification for the fact that the minute he's with G he loses all ability to stay incognito? Does that not raise red flags for these people?

In the rap, he also talks about fakery in the industry quite a lot, a line I find particularly interesting is when he says:

Hard living in pretends

Fake friends won't make amends

There's no need

These mean queens control the scenes

He's talking about his struggles with constantly having to pretend to be someone he isn't, mentions fake friendships (could be read as relationships), and then, in a line I find particularly telling, I honestly think he was shading the Hadids. They're the mean queens and they control whatever stunt it is that they deem necessary to execute, like babygates.

This isn't the first time Zayn has mentioned the fakery that clings to the entertainment industry, either. Go back through his music catalogue and you'd see him use the theme of deception over and over again.

The Theme of Fake Love in Zayn Malik's music

(I didn't think this would become a mini analysis of Zayn's music catalogue, but I'm on a roll and I feel like I need to express this because it'd be a good resource for myself in the future)

Mind of Mine

In his first solo album, the song tRuTh he talks about not wanting to be a pawn in the industry's (or management's) game:

This ain't my scene, this wasn't my dream

It was all yours, of course

I got caught up in this game

And you know I won't say names of who's to blame

His dream was to create music. but the industry has distorted that dream for their own gain, and he learned that too late. As we know, he was very young when he was first introduced to the industry, would have been distracted by all the glitz and glam that comes along with being a famous musician, that he didn't realise that his management had so much control over him and his image, and he was contractually obligated to follow their rules, i.e. getting caught up in their game.

He also talks about fake love in the single SHE DON'T LOVE ME

I think I know she don't love me

That's why I fuck around

I think I know she don't love me

That's why I fuck around

Now in the context of the song, he's very clearly talking about a lover who had no interest in him, and was cheating on him, and so he would do the same to her. However, based on the fact that he would have written this around the time he was still publicly dating a member of Little Mix, and there were constant rumours about him cheating on her, I wouldn't be surprised if this was his way of getting back at her for helping in fuelling those rumours, and turning the tables back on her.

And the obvious one, his collaboration with Khelani, wRoNg:

You're looking in the wrong place for my love

Don't think because you're with me this is real

You're looking in the wrong place for my love (my love)

Don't stop what you're doing 'cause I like that too

Very obviously following with the theme of fake love, he literally states that it's not real.

Icarus Falls

If there were ever a song wrote with G in mind, it's Entertainer:

Guess you didn't know that

You were my favorite entertainer

I watch you, I laugh with and fuck with you

Don't you take me for a fool

In this game, I own the rules

You were my favorite entertainer

I watch you, I laugh and we fake it too

Don't you take me for a fool

I'ma show you a thing or two

It's very sarcastic, and that's why I love it so much. I also think it's important to note that he mentions the game again, except this time, he's the one in control of it. He knows how the game works, and knows how to use it to his advantage, mostly through his music, and I don't think it was an accident that they used someone who vaguely looks like G to play the female lead in the music video.

Know it's harder to take

And let's face it

No one's playing your games, let's face it

I'm bein' straight up

I know a fake love when I see it anyway

I'ma turn you down when you need me anyway, anyway, anyway

Again the obvious mention of fake love, but I also think it's hilarious that he mentions the fact that he's going to turn her down, because he's done that very thing multiple times. The instances that come to mind was that one time G was left outside his apartment building because he refused to let her in:

And then the very distinctive answer be gives to a pap asking him to comment about whether or not they're getting back together:

Nobody Is Listening

You'd think the title itself would be a dead giveaway to these people, but alas, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Our first introduction to Zayn's rapping talent comes to us in the form of the first song off his third album, Calamity:

Fuck all of your fantasies

You're a snake, fell off the ladder

I prefer speakin' in analogies

I've had enough of all this wet

And I can't trust that you're my family

I don't know what's next

The brain dead, that I never miss

Again, he's referencing the use of games (snakes and ladders)but she's the one that will lose, and use the analogy to call G a snake. According to the urban dictionary, a snake is someone who is two-faced, meaning they act one way in front of one group of people and then completely different to another (her followers as opposed to who she is behind closed doors, for example).

My question for die-hard zigis is simple; if he's not referencing G, then who is he referencing? His constant reference of fake love, and fakeness in the industry, who is he talking about, if not his highly publicised 'relationship' with G?

I know that this isn't necessarily what you asked for nonnie, and I apologise for that, but hopefully you appreciate it anyway 😅

Have a good day!

#I apologise for how long this took me #but I had to source the video which took a couple days #@ other anon here's that analysis you asked for #just a very quick version #😅😅😅#hopefully people appreciate it though!#answered asks #anonymous #yellow metal cathartic #zigi is fake #babygate 3.0 #free zayn #lyric analysis #mind of mine #icarus falls #Nobody Is Listening #music

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melisa-may-taylor72 · 4 years

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Accolades such as “greatest single long-playing achievement since Sgt. Pepper” and “the most important record album ever made” fall over Queen’s latest album as easily as butter melting on a hot potato—but few realize what a hot potato the album actually was in its pre-release days. It took a bevy of high-powered attorneys, some low-life finagling, and more than the usual amount of wheelerdealing just to get the album out without its being hacked to death by defamation-of-character suits.

Guitarist Brian May explains: “I’m in real difficulty here because I’ve been threatened with libel because our old management had a good go at stopping the album coming out. They thought “Death on Two Legs’’ was about them. They wanted us to take the track off and we nearly had to, and in fact they got a load of money out of our publishing company because it supposedly was libelous, but it’s never been proven. It’s all very stupid—they wanted to sue Freddie, the band, the publishing company, and the record company.”

All very dramatic stuff, but a band like Queen survives not on operatic finesse alone, but on gut-level melo- dramatics in the business department as well. When you produce your records, write the songs, play all the instruments, and do everything yourself, chances are you’re going to have to pay some legal dues, too. But ah! the rewards—such as the single, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” hanging into the #1 spot in the British charts for seven weeks in a row!

“We’re a bit more in the public eye now, we’re starting to get recognized a lot more,” says Brian May. “We’re carrying on working just as we did before, but obviously we’re very pleased with how the record’s doing. It’s sold more than a million copies in England— can’t believe it.” But it’s true: Queen’s stature in England has risen from that of The #1 teenage hard rock band to that of the-group- that-made-the-single-that-every-house- wife-knows-by-heart”.

What propelled Queen in that direction is their Night at the Opera album, a slight departure from what Queen fans know to be the Queen sound. The hard rock screams have temporarily subsided, replaced by experimentation with different voicings of instruments and production tricks. Those who found Queen’s approach overdecibelled can relax to the quiet “ ‘39” or “Good Company” and tap their feet to “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon” without fear of being gui- tarred to death. “It’s just what came out,” says Brian. “They’re offshoots of our main direction. There’s plenty of time for the rock.”

“The album wasn’t really supposed to go in the direction that it did, it was just the songs we had. While we were making it we were thinking, ‘Yeah, it is getting a bit light,’ but rather than fight against it we decided to do it properly and then think again afterwards. So instead of trying to heavy up the lighter things, we pressed on. We had a few things we didn’t use, but we’re getting more demanding of ourselves. There are a few heavy things kicking around, but we may use them on the next record.”

The two strongest forces in Queen have always been Brian and Freddie. With A Night at the Opera, where experimentation and branching out in new directions are the most obvious characteristics, the personalities of the band are often obscured by the newly emerging elements. “Sometimes I feel that Freddie and I are going in different directions, but then he’ll come up with something and I’ll think, ‘My God—we do think alike.’ When I’m working on one of his things I can tune in very easily to what guitar part he wants, and vice-versa. In terms of what we’re trying to do in songs, we are moving in different directions, but I think that could be a good thing.”

QUEEN II: Critical response to the band is now almost unanimously favorable in both Great Britain and the United States, which is quite phenomenal when you stop and think of how anxious many critics were to pan them two years ago.“I’m not going to take it too seriously,” Brian says, “because I remember what the critics said about Queen II. It would seem that everybody is beginning to like us. … very much. I can take it at that level, but there’s no doubt in my mind that sometime in the future there’ll come a time when we get slagged for everything. Queen II is still my favorite of the Queen albums, certainly the most daring. Especially for the time. I think we’re still finding our feet now, and the way I feel about the new album is that we’re searching for new directions and most of them are sort of half-formed. We’ve got the Queen II feel in some places, and in others we’ve got the Sheer Heart Attack polish. I don’t think we’re quite sure where we’re going”.

“This album, at the very least, negates all the comparisons to Led Zeppelin that we’ve been living with for the past three years. I think Physical Graffiti is amazing, by the way. I saw Zeppelin at Earls Court, and I met Pagey afterward, for the first time. It was great, he was very nice and gentle. I respect him a tremendous amount for “Kashmir” and “The Light,” for being able to put his brain on record—- it wouldn’t matter if he couldn’t play a note.”

Economic criticism has been less favorable, however. A Night at the Opera was widely rumored to be “the most expensive album ever made” when it was released, a point which Queen’s management denies. Nevertheless, Queen has been taken to task by quite a few English journalists for spending so much money estimated at £30-40,000—making one record. Brian has a retort: “We wouldn’t have spent so much money if the studios weren’t so bloody expensive!

The album was recorded in seven of them, sometimes three at once.” We weren’t mucking about for any of it, it was four months of solid work. It came down to having the equipment available for four months, and we didn’t begrudge the amount of time spent in the studios, but it comes to a fair amount of money. There’s a lot of things that seem light, like “Good Company,” which actually took a great deal of time and care. All those trumpets and clarinets being fashioned from guitar sounds—I took it quite seriously because I wanted to do it right, even though it was a lighthearted thing. We worked too hard for our own health, we got a bit down and depressed.”

While Queen was laying about England between record and tour, a few of them got going on some independent projects. Brian and Roger produced an R&B group’s single, but there were some record company hassles and it may be some time before the record gets released. And on the eve of the American tour, Freddie Mercury went into the studios with a singer/songwriter managed by the Rocket Organization (which manages Queen as well) to try his hand at production. “Eddie Howells is the guy’s name, and he’s managed by David Mead, and they’re doing a single for Warners. I’m playing some guitar on it.” Brian restrained himself from going out on any limbs before the American tour in order to get himself physically fit. His health had been a crucial problem on an earlier American tour, and he’s not particularly anxious to spend time in hospitals when he could be onstage instead. “I actually get more tired offtour than ontour,”he admits. But I am in good health.”

HAIRY LEGS: Once the English leg of the tour did get started, word started to flow very quickly back to the States about Queen’s dramatic stage show—a stage show to end all stage shows, with Mercury donning short-shorts to add a bit of the hairy leg to Queen’s otherwise pristeen presentation. “The show is the same, but different,” Brian says confusedly. “We’ve merely developed what we did before with some new material from the new album. It’s a bit of reshuffling. Plus we do “Doing All- right” from the first album, which we’ve never done onstage before. And “Seven Seas of Rhye,” which we’d do in England but never in America before. It’s quite a lot different, actually.”

American audiences got their first chance to sample the new presentation on January 27 in Waterbury, Conn., when the first concert of Queen’s scheduled 32-date, 21-city American tour got underway in the Palace Theatre. After arriving in the States at Kennedy International on January 20 and spending a couple of days in New York for interviews, Queen began five days of rehearsals at the Palace to ready their show for American fans across the country.

After Waterbury they dove headfirst into the intensive six-week tour, which featured extended runs in New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles before its scheduled end March 12 at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Despite the novel direction of the new album, onstage Queen proved to be the same rocking outfit they’ve always been, letting loose with the same kind of guitar-bass-drums-piano barrage they’ve delivered in the past. “We don’t do “39” or “Lazing on aSunday Afternoon” in our show,“ Brian explains. He seems a bit defensive of Queen’s rock spirit, which is kept intact in the live set by “BohemianRhapsody,” “Sweet Lady,” “Prophet Song” and the deletion of the “experimental tunes” from A Night At the Opera.

By the by, those who missed Queenon earlier tours but want to see how they’ve changed now have the means. Queen bave joined the prestigious ranks of the Zeppelins, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones whereby sorne illegal entrepreneur has issued a boot leg album of one of their American concerts. “I hate those things-they rarely give an accurate picture of the group,” Brian states unequivocally, and in this case he’s right. The Queen bootleg has transistor radio fidelity, and the only truly audible members of the band are Brian and Freddie. Yet the fact that a bootleg exists confirms the fact that Queen is now well on their way to the top.

CIRCUS MAGAZINE, APRIL 1975

@natromanxoff, @mephisto92, @moviestorian, @x5vale, @39-brian, @onegoldenglance, @crosmopolitan, @an-abyss-called-life, @his-majesty-king-mercury, @i-live-for-queen, @brian-39-may, @toomuchlove-willkillyou, @brimaymay, @sail-away-sweet-sister, @drummerqueenrmt, @old-fashioned-roger-boy-deactiv, @briianmaay, @l-over-bo-y, @inui-mycroft, @deacytits, @iminlovewithrogscar, @drowseoftaylor, @brianmayislongaway, @balticlover, @astrophysicist-guitar-god, @miez-lakatz, @brianmayoucease, @jesus-in-a-life-boat, @roger-taylors-car, @silapril, @sherrifanciesfriskyfreddie, @tenderbri, @brianmydear, @thosequeenboys, @millionairewaltz-carpediem, @painandpleasure86, @bribrifrenchfry, @xlucylennonx, @a-night-at-the-abbey-road, @inthedayswhenlandswerefew, @madformeddowstaylor, @queenrogertaylorfan, @let-roger-get-a-lunch, @queen-for-life, @rethought, @darlinginnuendo, @mymakeupmaybeflaking, @old-but-still-a-child, @let-roger-get-a-lunch, @warriorteam1924, @funnydressesweirdhairanddance, @painkiller80, @thefanhuman13, @yourtieddownmother, @hgmercury39, @brimi-stardust, @thefairyfellermercury, @retroromantics, @foxmonkey, @sophiaintheskywithdiamonds, @holybrianmaywritingbear, @lydiannode, @39-yellow-daffodils , @ure-gonna-loveme-when-u-seeme, @kaykaybeachgirl, @rhysjoejoshtomfarisblog @redspecialandclogsandcurls, @briansrainbowsocks, @delilahmay39, @ohmybribri, @bless-the-queen, @infunitehearbeat, @sketchiesscketches, @everythingaboutfreddie, @doitforthevine67, @recordsoftheseventies, @tenementfunsterwithpurpleshoes, @drummah-in-a-rocknroll-band, @beatlegirl1968, @maylorsqueen, @shearrehartatacc, @gralto, @alittlepeoplemagic, @rainbowsockbrian, @sailawaysweetbrimi

#Circus Magazine #Queen article

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terrm9 · 4 years

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Cieli di Toscana

Words count: 1 600

Author’s note: I love Italy and Italian language, I miss hearing it, I miss eating gelato and the sea and I like Bocelli. That’s it, that’s all you need to know to understand this fluffy useless piece. Also, I tried to translate that one line the best I can, but my Italian is mediocre at best, so if someone from Italy sees it - please, feel free to correct my translation and don’t hate me if I got it absolutely wrong.

Takes place some weeks after the OHSY Finale.

It was raining heavily as Chiara stepped into Ethan’s car, making her sigh.

“This is absolutely terrible weather for a road trip,” she rolled her eyes dramatically, earning an honest chuckle from Ethan.

They weren’t going on a road trip. They were invited to attend a conference in New York and as much as Ethan hated those, the vision of three whole days with Chiara, out of reach of the chaos that’s been erupting in Boston ever since Edenbrook’s closing and its subsequent grand re-opening, was enough for him to make a decision to go.

The excruciating rate of their lives in those past few months has also been reason why Ethan decided to drive for four hours to New York. Four hours on their way back and another four on their way back, eight full hours of the two of them being next to each other without anyone else’s presence, with nothing better to do than to simply be together. Hell, even if Chiara decided to just sleep the whole time, those eight hours of her peaceful sleep would be worth the time spent in a car.

“Okay, if you don’t want to start with my playlist,” Chiara waved indefinitely with her phone in the hand, “you better have something else than an audio book to listen to.”

To be absolutely honest, Ethan wouldn’t mind listening to her playlist if that would serve her best, however he gestured towards the dashboard on Chiara’s side of a car.

“There should be some old CD’s in there.”

Opening a storage space of the dashboard, Chiara raised her eyebrow at him and exclaimed: “Some old what? Have you ever heard of the possibility of connecting your phone to the radio?”

Ethan resisted his urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as he was in the middle of overtaking a truck. He knew what was coming and that he didn’t dispose of any power that could stop it.

“I remember the times when the only way to listen to something of your choice in a car was to use a CD. I said they were old.”

Chiara rolled her eyes, not even trying to hide the smirk that found its way onto her face. Of course he would remember that.

“Remind me again, which dinosaur was your favorite? You know, since you were lucky enough to live among them.”

“This joke is getting old.”

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, knowing that they would backfire terribly.

“Yes, and so are you,” Chiara replied without missing a beat, her triumphant grin so wide Ethan was sure her cheeks hurt.

She grabbed the first CD, disapprovingly muttering under her breath.

“Vivaldi, Sinatra, Schoenberg, another Sinatra, Bocelli? I know this one,” she turned to him with Italian tenor’s album in her hand.

Ethan glanced at her quickly and nodded, encouraging her to develop her statement.

“My mom loves Bocelli, like really loves, loves. I remember when this particular album came out, I was maybe eight or nine at the time and my mom would listen to it on repeat, all day for two solid weeks,” she chuckled to herself at the memory and decided to put the CD into the radio, letting herself get lost in the memories of her childhood. “My dad was going crazy, always shutting himself in his study to listen to Queen or David Bowie. I would usually follow him and when I asked him why he didn’t tell her to turn it off, he’d just smile, shrug and say something about the music making my mom happy.”

Chiara listened to the first track, the melody all too familiar despite not hearing it for at least fifteen years. It sounded like her parents and home and love. The unconditional love her father always held for her mother, the one that grossed her out when she was a kid and caused her to have unfulfillable expectations from boys when she was a teenager.

She always dreamt of meeting a man that would love her that way, the man that would listen to the music he hated and she loved just because it would make her happy.

Shaking her head slightly to get herself out of the dangerous waters of her mind, the waters of nostalgy, the waters of infinite sadness she felt when thinking about her dad and her brother and how they would never get to decide if Ethan deserved their precious Chia, their light, she cleared her throat and read the title written on the plastic cover of the CD.

“Cieli di Toscana. Do you know what that means?” she turned to Ethan, thankful that the traffic kept him from noticing how lost she’s been for the last few minutes.

"Skies of Tuscany," Ethan replied, not tearing his gaze of the road.

Chiara smiled to herself, her mind taking her back to all those documentaries she's seen about that part of Italy.

"They must be bewitching. Skies of Tuscany, I mean," she leaned further into her seat, the soft melody of second song making it easier to just imagine being there, far away from struggles Boston had in store for her. "Have you ever been to Tuscany?"

Ethan nodded, his sharp gaze melting slightly as his focus has been divided between driving and reminiscing his time in Europe.

"Once. I've been attending a conference with Naveen in Florence. I hardly had any spare time for sightseeing and yet the city managed to render me speechless as I walked its narrow streets."

Despite his efforts to find a better word for the city, all he could think about, back then in Florence, was how romantic its streets were. He could still remember how his whole body both loved and hated the atmosphere and how, when he surly muttered that it was city made for couples, Naveen would laugh and say: „If you are clever enough not to repeat my mistakes, you will come back with a woman of your life one day and belong to those scandalous couples.“

Another memory flashed in his mind, too bright and fresh for his liking. The one where, laying on the thick fabric of hazmat suit that protected his chest, tears streaming down her cheeks slowly, Chiara admitted that she regretted not travelling more while she could.

„I’ll take you there, when this chaos settles down and we’re allowed to take some time off. I’ll take you to Tuscany then,“ he said softly, quietly, pretending to concentrate on the road, which must have looked absolutely ridiculous as the highway was currently deserted. He hoped Chiara didn’t notice how flushed the back of his neck suddenly became.

She didn’t.

Chiara was biting her cheek, staring back and forth at Ethan and the road. Her own cheeks were colored in a bright pink color, the sincerity of Ethan’s words making her weak.

It wasn’t only the fact that he remembered about her dream of visiting Italy. It wasn’t even about the way he told her, that he would take her. It was the fact that planning his future with her came so naturally to him at this point, he didn’t even need to think about it.

Lost in her thoughts once again, Chiara didn’t notice how Ethan’s eyes widened few seconds into fourth song when the recognition hit him.

It was the song he liked the most, the song that he would listen quite often to back in the days when this album kept him company on the roads.

It was the song that, just like the city of Florence, used to make that small, almost negligible part of him wish that he had someone to share it with.

With the rain falling heavily on the windshield, Chiara couldn’t hear Ethan’s almost unaudible singing. She could’ve easily miss it, if she didn’t notice his lips moving.

„Are you singing?“ she asked, absoltutely shocked. She caught him humming various melodies sometimes, but never in her whole life would she believe to see Ethan Ramsey sing.

‚Scusi se mi innamorai in un istante di lei per

l'aria serena che ha.‘

„Absolutely not,“ he shook his head, the wave of heat on his neck becoming almost unbearable. „I am reciting the lyrics, at best.“

How cute, Chiara thought.

However, she didn’t want to ruin the moment and so instead of teasing him mercilessly, she asked: „What does it say? The part that you absolutely weren‘t singing.“

„Excuse me if I, in an instant, fall in love with her for the air of serenity she has. Very freely translated.“

„How do you know the lyrics so well?“

„I like the song.“

„Sure, liking the song is one thing, but knowing – and singing – the lyrics is another. Especially when the lyrics is as soft as this one. Is the song special to you?“

She tried to ask it as casually as she could, as if she was simply curious, when really, there was a hint of jealousy blooming in her chest.

Was the song special to him? Did he use to recite it to his first girlfriend trying to impress her?

The car stopped at the red light, giving Ethan a chance to finally look at the woman next to him fully.

„It is now,“ he nodded, smiling softly as he caressed her cheek with his thumb.

The expecting and so vulnerable green eyes staring back at him made his heart flutter. At this point, it was useless to pretened that he wasn’t utterly and terribly sappy when it came to her. Taking a deep breath, just before the red light turned to green, he whispered.

„The name of the song is Chiara.“

#open heart #open heart choices #open heart fanfiction #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #ohsy

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malhare · 3 years

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Tagged by @bastard-mice, sorry this took me so damn long to get around to! I really love this one ✨

1. What’s the first song you remember hearing?

“Clint Eastwood” by Gorillaz! Their first album was released when I was three years old, my mom was super into them since day one

2. What’s the first band you got into?

The first band I got into outside of stuff my mom listened to was Coldplay LMAO (I was like 10 cut me some slack), however the first band I really fixated on and became a superfan of was Rammstein at age 12! And I’m still just as obsessed over a decade later.....

3. Do you collect physical music?

Nope, I used to collect records but I lost my collection when I moved and I don’t have the money or willpower to start the collection fresh :(

4. What is your favorite piece of music memorabilia?

I don’t have anything particularly special yet, a heem heem whimper ;__;

5. What’s your favorite concert that you’ve been to?

Honestly? King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard! When I saw them “Infest the Rat’s Nest” hadn’t been released yet and they played the entirety of the album + some others including my favorite song by them. It was an unforgettable show!

6. If you could see any artist that’s no longer alive in concert, who would it be?

I would maim someone for the chance to see Pelle Ohlin perform, either with Morbid or Mayhem Im not even picky

7. Have you met any musicians?

Only one (1), I briefly met Trent Reznor after a NIN concert!

8. What’s your go-to album when you’re feeling sad?

“Merrie Land” by The Good the Bad and the Queen. It’s not supremely depressing so I won’t spiral, but it’s melancholy enough that I can kind of just stew in my feelings....

9. What’s your go-to album when you’re feeling happy?

I don’t really have one! I listen to pretty much anything when I’m in a good mood

10. What is one music documentary that you love?

“Until the Light Takes Us”! It isn’t even the best documentary about the black metal scene and in retrospect it focuses on Varg Vikernes more than I’d like, but it’s the first real dive I took into black metal so it’s very nostalgic for me :)

11. What is one concert DVD that you love?

RAMMSTEIN LIVE AUS BERLIN MY BELOVED

12. Do you prefer listening to playlists or albums?

I usually prefer playlists, I only really listen to rock operas (or albums that I really like) chronologically all the way through

13. Do you listen to albums in order or on shuffle?

In order!! They’re usually put in order by the musician for a reason

14. What is your favorite deep cut song by your favorite artist?

“Dalai Lama” by Rammstein. So underrated! That ghostly chorus? Shivers every time!!

15. What is your favorite CD/cassette/vinyl you own in terms of its packaging?

I used to own Morbid’s “Year of the Goat” and it has to be that one!

Tagging: @feelin-woozy, @therealhieronymous, @witchycrowley, @rotassimilate, @thotticus0, @mutiny-in-heaven and anyone else who wants to do this <3

#no pressure if you dont wanna of course!#tag game #malhare.txt

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obsessivelollipoplalala · 2 years

Note

One thing I like so much about Queen is that all four of them have written some great songs.

If I have to choose however, I guess Freddie and Brian will tie for the first place. And then it would be John for me, and unfortunately I have to put Roger in the third place. (Even though I love some of his songs, radio gaga for example.)

So who do you think was the best songwriter in Queen?

Well, my opinion is the same as yours, actually lol. I can’t choose between Freddie and Brian. I think people tend to forget that they were the main songwriters for their very early albums, and a lot of people consider early 70s Queen to be the best Queen. Two of the band’s (arguably) most famous songs were written by them and meant to go together (“We Will Rock You”+”We Are the Champions”). People forget that Brian wrote what is probably the most recognizable beat in Western music lol.

Freddie could be so witty and fun with his lyrics. Songs like “Seaside Rendezvous” and “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” are joyous. He could really express intense emotions too, such as the desperate yearning in “Somebody to Love” or “You Take My Breath Away.” He really had a range of styles, as shown by the two songs I just mentioned. The man also knew his harmonies! The harmonies for “Somebody to Love” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” are beautiful. He could write simpler songs like “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” or complicated pieces like “Millionaire Waltz.” He was such a great pianist, too. I find myself missing his piano work after the 70s. He could also use a lot of imagery and fantasy settings in his very early work, making his songs feel cryptic.

Brian is such an excellent lyricist, some songs are downright poetic. I honestly can’t listen to “Long Away” without feeling really fucking sad lol. I mean, “For every star in heaven / there’s a sad soul here today / Wake up in the morning with a good face / stare at the moon all day / lonely as a whisper on a star chase / Does anyone care anyway? / For all the prayers in heaven / So much of life’s this way.” Fucking ouch. There are other great lyrics all throughout his work too, like “stars of lovingness in her hair” for “White Queen”, which is another great song (that entire song is poetry, really). His songwriting could be somewhat similar to Freddie’s in its musical complexity (“The Prophet’s Song”), or surprising simplicity (“Good Company”). They were versatile. The yearning in their songs could be similar too, and Brian especially was great at expressing deep melancholy with a handful of words (see: “Long Away” lol). He wanted to connect with the common person’s feelings through his music and he succeeded. But not all of his songs were sad! One of my favorites is “Headlong.” I gotta mention the Red Special, too. The Queen sound would not be the Queen sound without that guitar. A song like “Bijou” really lets the guitar shine, and that song is an example of how strong Freddie and Brian were when they collaborated, too. And I need to mention that “The Prophet’s Song” is criminally underrated.

Ok, so next is John. He wrote the least amount of songs, but a lot of them were really good! I think his songwriting might’ve been the most eclectic. I love “Who Needs You” and think it’s underrated. I love when a son sounds fun but actually has fuck-you lyrics, which is why I also like “Back Chat” lol. The man could write a sweet song about his wife being his best friend and a song about premature ejaculation—that’s range! I love “I Want to Break Free”, too. His lyrics were more straight to the point, I feel like. But that’s not a bad thing

Roger is my least favorite. Sorry, but I seldom choose to listen to his songs. “Radio Ga Ga” is an exception. I really like that one and the feeling of nostalgia it inspires. I think “The Invisible Man” is a lot of fun, and “These Are the Days of Our Lives” had very touching lyrics on its own even before it took on a new meaning with Freddie. But otherwise….his songs just don’t grab me. I’m sorry, but all of the “I’m in Love With My Car” jokes are warranted. It shouldn’t have been the B-side to borhap. I skip it on ANATO. Mind you, I never listened to his solo work (aside from “Gangsters Are Running This World”, which I wasn’t impressed with). I’m sorry, I think Roger was a much better musician than songwriting overall 😬 (please don’t kill me lol)

#Queen #long post.#replies #Anonymous

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altair-native · 3 years

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My Top 10 Albums of 2020

Now that the longest and craziest year in history is finally over, I figured now would be a good time to reflect and look back at some positive things from 2020. Despite concerts and tours being cancelled, and many bands and artists postponing albums due to not being able to promote them, there was a lot of really fantastic music released this year. Here are some of my favorites!

Honorable Mention: Money Money 2020 Part II by The Network

Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool (plus some friends) brought back an old side project from 2003 this year called The Network. This album is a follow up to their debut album Money Money 2020, and was a huge surprise. I wasn’t sure where to put it on my top 10 list, but I still wanted to talk about it because it ended up being much better than the actual Green Day record we got this year. They experiment with lots of different sounds on this album, and while some of them are definitely meant to be satire, there are some seriously great songs on here that give me hope that future Green Day albums could be much better.

Favorite Song: Fentanyl

Now, on to the top 10:

#10 Last Room by waveform*

The first of many surprise additions to the list, Last Room is a really great album stocked full of songs that are all pretty short, but each stands out on its own. waveform* is really good at making songs that capture the listener’s attention. This is definitely a band that I want to hear more of, and I’m excited to dive deeper into their discography this year!

Favorite Song: Miner’s Lullaby

#9 Petals For Armor by Hayley Williams

After years of being in Paramore, Hayley Williams has finally released her first solo album! Paramore’s 2017 album After Laughter experimented with lots of different sounds, and was also a very personal record lyrically, so it’s no surprise that Hayley took a similar approach here. These songs are a way for her to open up about her life and branch out more and she succeeds on this record. Even if you’re not a fan of Paramore I highly recommend checking this one out.

Favorite Song: Why We Ever

#8 Some Still Morning by Handsome Ghost

I’ve already talked a bit about this album (it was even my first review on this blog!) but I feel like the more I’ve listened to it, the more I’ve started to love the songs that first stuck out to me. I still feel like some of the songs sound a bit too similar, but when the duo branch out and try new things on this record, it’s some of their best work.

Favorite Song: Christmas In Jersey

#7 Healer by Grouplove

Something that has always been true about Grouplove’s music is that it is insanely catchy, and this holds true with their newest record Healer. I’ve liked a lot of their music before, but for some reason this album connected with me on a way that their other music hasn’t. I feel like this album came out at the perfect time for me, because it has a lot of themes about growing up and dealing with the crazy world we live in. If you’ve never listened to Grouplove and want to check them out, I think that Healer is definitely a good starting place.

Favorite Song: Hail to the Queen

#6 Folklore by Taylor Swift

I’ve had a history of really disliking Taylor Swift’s music, especially her earlier albums. I guess for those it was due to overexposure, but with some of her more recent albums (especially 2013′s Red) I actually found there were certain songs I actually liked. Her albums as a whole, however, have always felt bogged down by their singles which often don’t sound like they fit with the rest of the album. When I heard she had announced an album coming out that night, I was very curious. After listening to it, Folklore fixed every issue I’ve had with her previous albums, and I love how she’s shifted her lyrics to focus on telling stories. I didn’t expect a Taylor Swift album to end up on my top 10 list for any year, but 2020 was definitely full of surprises!

Favorite Song: Seven

#5 Possession by Joywave

I had discovered Joywave one day on YouTube by accident, and immediately wanted to hear more from them. Their songs are always so unique and creative, and after seeing them open up for Bastille in October 2019, I got really excited for their third album. They have incredible energy on stage, and that energy is reflected perfectly in their music, especially on this album. It was one of my most anticipated records of 2020, and it seriously lived up to the hype.

Favorite Song: Half Your Age

#4 Figure by Into It. Over It

Yet another accidental discovery, Figure blew me away the first time I listened to it. I was immediately drawn in from the first track, and each song delivers something truly special. I had to listen to this album all the way through multiple times to really take it all in. I planned on doing a full review of it here, but felt I needed to look into the lyrics and the meanings behind the songs a little more to fully understand it. Now, Into It. Over It has been on repeat for a good chunk of the past couple months. Evan Thomas Weiss is an incredible songwriter and really talented musician, and I seriously recommend checking out his music.

Favorite Song: Brushstrokes

#3 Leave What’s Lost Behind by Colony House

Colony House are a band that I discovered a few years ago, and their first two albums quickly became favorites of mine.Their intriguing instrumentals along with Caleb Chapman’s powerful vocals make their music really fun to listen to, and like Joywave they put on a fantastic show even when they’re just the opening act. I had been looking forward to the follow up to 2017′s Only The Lonely, and this record definitely lived up to my expectations, even if I prefer the latter album a little more. There are definitely some incredible songs here, a few of which are among the best in Colony House’s discography.

Favorite Song: The Hope Inside

#2 Zeros by Declan McKenna

For whatever reason, I didn’t listen to this album when it first came out, but when I did eventually get around to listening to it I fell in love. Declan McKenna has always been a really great songwriter, but this album in particular shows just how talented the 22 year old singer is. Blending sounds from different eras of rock along with some more modern production, Zeros is an absolute masterpiece of an album.

Favorite Song: Twice Your Size

#1 Dreamland by COIN

Even though Zeros got really close to taking the number one spot, my personal favorite of the year is still COIN’s third album Dreamland (not to be confused with the Glass Animals album of the same name also from 2020). COIN is a band that just keeps on getting better, and even after losing a member back in 2018, they’ve still managed to grow and improve their sound. Dreamland takes everything I’ve loved about COIN’s music and adds to it. If you haven’t listened to this album and are a fan of indie pop bands like Flor, Smallpools and Young the Giant, then you should definitely give this album a listen!

Favorite Song: Nobody’s Baby

Thank you for checking out my list of my favorite albums from this past year! I’d love to know what you guys think and if we have any of the same albums on our list :)

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aion-rsa · 2 years

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The Beatles: Get Back – Do Beatlemaniacs Get What They’re Looking For?

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There’s no mania like Beatlemania, and Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back is both proof of that, and a direct consequence of it. A lot of the reviews said it was an overlong and unnecessary affair. Well, Disney+ let Jackson include swearing in the documentary, so, fuck them. He prefers his own 18-hour cut to this just-under-eight-hour documentary series, and he’s “right and will be proved right,” to paraphrase John Lennon.

Is it an important document? Yes. Does it give Beatlemaniacs everything they want? Of course not, nothing will.

For one thing, he doesn’t give us a full version of Paul McCartney’s “Teddy Boy,” which came close to making the playlist. We also don’t get the satisfaction of hearing entire versions of “The Long and Winding Road,” “Let It Be,” or any of the other final album songs not performed on the roof. We get two versions of each of those. The rest we get to see unfold in slow motion, like one of the films Lennon made with Yoko Ono during this period.

Sure, he could have cut it into a precise race-against-the-clock musical comedy like A Hard Day’s Night. He even gets in the “Who’s that little old man/He’s very clean, though” joke. But to be honest, even if this wasn’t halfway this pristine, Beatle aficionados would be satisfied.

Yes, not enough can be said about the cleanup. There is a clip from the Cavern club which has been so cleaned up, you can see individual beads of sweat on the band, and on the walls. This clip was in Anthology and the Malcolm McDowell-narrated The Compleat Beatles, and it always looks like it was shot through a dirty lens on used film stock from across the street. Jackson makes it look like yesterday’s news, not 52-year-old footage. But some of us would watch eight hours of the crappy footage, especially cut right. Remember, most of us have only seen and heard this on shitty board mix bootlegs.

Which brings us to the audio, which is equally superb. Forget the songs we all know, the ones on the album and which were given on the Anthology compilations. The snippets of covers the band plays have never been this clear and fully produced. Most of what’s gotten out to the public sounds like the original film is reputed to make people feel, but the sonic redemption here is a wonderful tease of fun performances. Jackson only doles out the best bits, but with the cleanup, his 18-hour director’s cut becomes a must-do. You already cut it, Mr. Jackson, there is an audience for it. Give with it.

THE COVERS

The snippets of the band running through Bob Dylan’s “Mighty Quinn” and “I Shall Be Released” should be released, in full, or as far as the Beatles got into it. The other thing the bootlegs made clear is the band might jump into a number for a few bars, and either merge it into something else or just drop it outright. What the documentary does show, however, is how much they were listening to the music which was going on at the time. During several segments we see Lennon holding The Rolling Stones’ Beggar’s Banquet album.

The Beatles jam through quite a few unexpected popular contemporary and traditional numbers. They perform “You Are My Sunshine,” “Queen of the Hop,” revisit Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller and Richie Barrett’s “Some Other Guy,” and even their own “Help!.” Jackson skips the wonderful rendition of Mario Lanza’s hit “Besame Mucho,” which is a shame, especially since we’ve only seen Lennon’s happy reaction to it. Paul is an expert vocal mimic, and besides his standard Elvis turn, gives spot on impressions of Canned Heat, down to the country feel, and up to vaudevillian voices. He and Lennon fall easily into some of the harmonies of their favorite teenage pop platters.

Lennon and McCartney obviously remember every single Everly Brothers harmony they probably sang to each other on tour buses to pass the time. They do a lot of wop bop a loo bop, but dip into enough diversity of the rock and roll and rhythm and blues covers to let us know they were serious students of the music, and avid listeners.

Lennon always bent a knee to Chuck Berry, co-leading with George on “Johnny B. Goode,” taking “30 Days” all to himself, and performing “Rock and Roll Music” at the same tempo as their performance at Budokan, and yes, I know this Beatlemaniac wrote it was overlaid to Shea Stadium, but it was eight hours after I saw it, it hit the proper emotional note better, and I was on a deadline. Jackson’s entire film is about deadlines, and The Beatles show how musical mistakes can be capitalized on and added to the mix. There’s a rushed guitar on “Dig a Pony” which made the final cut. The Beatles also know when to skim well-worked-out arrangements that get too busy, as they do with the “all I want is” intro and outro of the song.

THE ABBEY ROAD WORKS-IN-PROGRESS

Jackson gives us both, in equal and almost satisfying measure. Again, obsessives will point to still other examples. The classic scat Lennon sings when he forgets a line in “Don’t Let Me Down” is well known, but his improvisations about a guitar going out of tune, Band-Aids on his playing finger, and “40 days in the desert and he couldn’t find his balls” are a great add to the mix. On a related note, “cauliflower,” the word he throws out as a placeholder word to Harrison’s “Something,” does sound phonetically closer to “like no other lover” than any of the fillers George was riffing. Hey, he paid a ton of money for unconsciously tributing “He’s So Fine” on “My Sweet Lord,” so we know he is a sponge to musical influence.

The Beatles: Get Back Review – Peter Jackson Presents A Crystal Clear Story of Legendary Band

By Tony Sokol

Comics

The Doctor Strange and Pink Floyd Connection

By Mike Cecchini

It warms a Beatle fan’s heart to see how encouraging Lennon and McCartney are on some of Harrison’s songs, even before the walkout. In Episode 1, Jackson finds the take of Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass,” which sounds most like a Beatles’ rendition. Lennon and McCartney’s harmonies aren’t quite there in the early attempt, but we can already imagine how it would sound as a Beatles song. The band gives a very nice early sounding performance of “Something,” along with a few other songs which will work their way on Abbey Road.

McCartney introduces “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and “Oh Darling.” Lennon’s “Across the Universe” gets a full band treatment. We hear “Golden Slumbers” just waking up. We learn that the song “Carry that Weight” was originally written for Ringo to sing and already has the recognizable chorus, but also includes verses about “normal kinds of troubles everyone has,” as Paul puts it, which are later cut. Starr brings out “Octopus’ Garden,” which gets a full chordal resolution treatment from George, free of charge.

Quite a few of Lennon’s medley songs are almost finished here already, and it’s good to see the fingers match the notes. Plus, we hear an early, fully musically worked out version of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” envisioned as a civil rights riff. This is a musical, and emotional highlight. In the documentary, Lennon’s already called Martin Luther King, Jr. a poet who should have been president, which foretells his future commitment to radical change, and then we get a radical change. Billy Preston sings lead on one of the verses.

This is appealing to Beatle fans on so many levels. A non-Beatle singing with the Beatles on a song which will become a staple, it also reinforces Lennon’s enthusiastic revelation that the band found its “fifth Beatle.” Preston is a friend from the Hamburg days who’d backed up Little Richard, while the Beatles were an opening act. Each individual Beatle has said the first time Ringo sat in for Pete Best on drums in a Hamburg club, they could feel the magic. This gives us a taste of what that moment must have been like. It doesn’t take but a few bars for Lennon to nominate Preston for full-time membership. George overdoes it by bringing up Bob Dylan, Paul says four Beatles are hard enough to deal with, and we have a classic film and musical moment.

We’ve always heard it was George who brought Preston into the sessions because it would ease the tension, like Eric Clapton made everyone behave during the recording of “While My Gently Weeps,” and he does mention he saw Preston backing Ray Charles in an earlier sequence, and how Charles lets this young organist shine. Then he does the same for the sound, and work progresses at an intense pace. Preston brings so much promise, the band dips into the future to whip out songs that won’t see release until the solo years.

THE EARLY SOLO MATERIAL

Day 1 opens with Lennon playing the song which will become “Jealous Guy,” and his guitar fills are amazingly textured, all naked there by themselves in the huge film studio rehearsal space. Now called “Child of Nature,” it gets reintroduced as “The Road to Marrakesh” later. Episode 1 closes on a delicate version of George Harrison’s “Isn’t It a Pity” which grows slowly, occasionally the only backing is Harrison’s guitar and a single bass note from Paul, and it’s perfect, while still distinguishable in character from the final release.

We also get a version of the band working on “Gimme Some Truth,” where McCartney knows the words better than Lennon. McCartney is playing “Another Day,” which will be one of his first solo singles, on the day he brings Linda into the studio. It is also a treat to hear McCartney playing “Martha, My Dear” exactly as it sounded on The White Album, while talking about the instrument itself. “That’s the great thing about the piano,” he enthuses. “There it all is. There’s all the music ever. All that’s ever been written ever.” There’s a reason Ringo Starr says he can watch Paul play piano all day.

It is fun to see the two lefties join in on the piano for a positively giddy version of “I Bought a Piano the Other Day.” It’s even a bigger kick to see them switch instruments in a later jam. Ringo plays bass while Paul’s on drums. But their most satisfying scene, for fans of the musical process, happens during the section where Paul writes “The Long and Winding Road.” He doesn’t only write it in front of Ringo, who throws out lyrical fill-ins just to keep it going, but he does it in front of the camera. Jackson tightly highlights the transitions so the song’s birth has a recognizable story, but he also tickles fans with a glimpse into the comradery of the Beatles inner circle.

THE SONGWRITING PROCESS

We actually see Paul almost raise an eyebrow at the Beatles’ most trusted and beloved employee, Mal Evans. The road manager/personal assistant/best mate-since-Liddypool asks Paul how some Beatle business went, just as the songwriter is deciding between two chord changes. The eyebrow goes halfway up in annoyance, and McCartney’s mind recognizes Mal as, well, good old Mal, smiles until the chat ends naturally, letting Paul get back to those two chords. They each have possibilities, and it is just fun to watch him hearing them all in his own head.

We also see Ringo keep time to the great Lennon-McCartney writing team in action. John used the phrase “eyeball-to-eyeball” when describing in interviews how he and Paul wrote, and it comes as a happy jolt to hear Lennon throw suggestions to McCartney as he works on the words to “Get Back,” which goes from an inspirational kickstart to a protest song against white nationalism and ends up as the album and event’s first single. It’s also just fun to know Paul set the song in Tucson, Arizona, because “that’s where they film High Chaparral,” a western TV series which was popular at the time.

THE NEW RARITIES

We are also gifted with snippets of songs which have never seen the light of day, even on bootlegs. Ringo plays a song he wrote called “Taking a Trip to Carolina,” accompanying himself on piano. McCartney and the band bash through a number called “You Wear Your Women Out,” and we get a snippet of a song called “My Imagination.” But it is extremely satisfying to see the group’s process, and the ear for perfection which is really at the bottom of most of their arguments and their reconciliations. They fully work out harmonies on “Don’t Let Me Down,” including a call-and-response which merges the combined feel of their backups on “Twist and Shout” and “Happiness is a Warm Gun.” It is on the verge of veering into something they are known for and excel in.

After it’s arranged, George casually mentions, if they heard it back on tape, they wouldn’t like it, and the whole part is dropped. He’s right, of course, McCartney’s harmony on the final version does with one voice what the whole harmony part works too hard at.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES REVELATIONS

We also hear the band discuss what every fan has read about in books and seen in documentaries: their lack of access to the latest audio technology. They note the Beach Boys have an 8-track because they’re American, and they have to make do with what they got, which isn’t much at the moment, and takes twice as much work to do with limited facilities. For fans of extreme trivia, we get a taste of Magic Alex’s inaction in action. If you know his reputation and the story behind what he always promises but never delivers, the non-functioning recording console and the bass/rhythm guitar combo with the revolving neck are satisfying real-life representations, and if you don’t, tell me to write an article on it.

On another personal note, it’s nice to hear George tell Paul his beard suits him, but nowhere near how good it is to overhear the true empathy John and Paul feel for the underserved guitar-playing songwriter which gets caught on the hidden mic. It’s also comforting to hear Paul call John boss, and complain how he’s miffed about having to take the lead so often, but also be understanding enough to know “obviously if it’s a push between Yoko and the Beatles,” John would choose her. He fully supports the “young lovers.” And while it’s a shame that any song he writes when Yoko is in the room has to do with “white walls,” Paul does not want history to say the Beatles broke up because “Yoko sat on an amplifier.” Jackson’s film also shows why people compare Ono to the B-52s, and reminds us Linda Eastman was a master rock photographer long before she changed her name to McCartney and joined Wings.

The running gag Lennon makes out of his introduction to the Rolling Stones’ performance in their Rock and Roll Circus is also a satisfying nugget. Like watching him attempt juggling with Ringo or singing “my rock and roll finger is bleeding,” it captures the throwaway humor fans of “the witty Beatle” want to see. Not that the others don’t get in their share of the quick one-liners which made them favorites with the press corps.

Regarding the actual time frame of the film itself, the most satisfying moment of The Beatles: Get Back is when it appears Jackson unearths the exact frame which captures the precise moment Lindsay-Hogg and Glyn Johns tell Paul the perfect venue for the project, and he goes through the roof.

The Beatles are mostly known as a recording act, but Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr got famous by playing live. It was how they were trained. Even when they had Stu Sutcliff on bass and Pete Best on drums, the band knew the importance of grabbing and keeping an audience. When someone walked into a ballroom while The Beatles were on stage, they were there to stay. The Beatles worked hard to keep them there. Here we get closeups of each Beatle making contact with an audience member. The most satisfying thing to come out of The Beatles: Get Back, is a reminder they could still pull it off.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Now, about that 18-hour cut. When, Mr. Jackson?

The post The Beatles: Get Back – Do Beatlemaniacs Get What They’re Looking For? appeared first on Den of Geek.

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hisunshiine · 4 years

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primal |kth|

♡ 𝘵𝘢𝘦𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘹 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳 ♡ 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳!𝘵𝘢𝘦 𝘹 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺!𝘰𝘤 ♡ 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵, 𝘴𝘮𝘶𝘵 ♡ 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 @shades_of_blue

—

“I saw you and him! You let him feed you.. Let him touch you..” His eyes, typically your favorite shade of deep mahogany were now black.

“Tae, I swear, it was innocent. If I had refused, they would have known.. I think they suspect so—”

Tae’s large hand tightened on your throat slightly, and you gasped, arching slightly.

“Kneel.”

-6 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰-

You had just gotten hired by KimHit Entertainment, an up and coming company that had great talent of all kinds signed to them. They worked with multiple artists, rappers like RM and Agust D, singing dance duo J-Hope and Jimin (J2J), had content creators/artists like JayKay and Vante, and they were all managed by Kim Seokjin, one of the most famous vocalists in the world. He had decided to create a company to help others flourish once he felt like he had met all of his own goals.

While he still made music, he wanted to make sure to solidify himself as a top tier business man as well, like his father before him. He took over his dad’s small company and created a chaebol with his ability to spot talent and help it bloom. His brother had recently run the food services department for KimHit, but he had recently gotten married, so he was unable to do the tours for the next 2 quarters.

You had gone to culinary school with Seokjin’s older brother, which was how you found out about the company, and applied. Despite your love for music, your job however, had nothing to do with being “Talent”, unless you counted what you did in the kitchen.

“Carla, holy fuck, this is delicious!” Nayeon had just licked her finger clean from where she had dipped it into your batter for the dessert for the Talent. She went to double dip, and you swatted her hand away with the oven mitt you were holding.

“Yes, that’s why I was hired. But Gemini is coming down soon to eat, and they need to be fed before their performance tonight. A 2 hour set is no joke.” Nayeon nodded and backed away, hands up.

“Fine, fine.. I’m headed back to my station, but save me some please!” She smiled as she turned and headed to the door, her slim hips swaying as she disappeared through the swinging doors of the kitchen.

You finished plating the main dishes and began trekking them through the same swinging doors to set up for the meal. Each venue had a different style, but with tours, within the country, it was easier on you to maintain a routine. Traveling across the globe with bigger artists meant you had to go with them to each stadium or arena and cook with the kitchen they provided. Here in your home country, you could easily travel from home to work each day, prepare the meals, set up the spread, and relax. Others were hired to handle the clean up. You hustled back and forth, carrying out the now heavy metal serving dishes before the cast and crew arrived for their pre-show meal.

Panting slightly, you shook your head. How you were not losing weight at a faster rate was beyond you, but you liked that you maintained your curves despite the bustle of this job. Cooking protein rich and healthy fat filled foods helped you keep your more curvy figure. You were happy with your natural assets; you’d never had a problem filling out your outfits in all the right places, and direct or indirect compliments on your figure from the opposite sex had become the norm for you.

You watched the managers slowly file in, followed by the lighting crew, music techs, videographers and more, getting their food before running off to carry out various pre-show set up. They thanked you, happy with the upgraded meals they received ever since KimHit hired you.

“Hi.”

You jumped, not expecting the baritone voice to sound. Turning, you clutch your now racing heart as you take in a remarkable face—jawline that could slice the cake you had been placing, cheekbones that had to have been sculpted by Michaelangelo himself, and a toffee colored gaze that heated you to your core.

“You scared me!” you squeaked out, unable to maintain eye contact with him.

“Sorry,” his voice—as familiar as it was smooth—continued, “I just wanted to say that this smells… delicious.”

You shivered, sure that he was talking about more than the food. That he could smell the arousal mixed with fear as his predatory gaze continued to drink you in, tracing each curve slowly as if he could imagine what you would feel like if he stared long enough. Hard enough.

You attempted to breath slowly, knowing that predators enjoy the toying, and will chase when their prey panics and runs. You naturally responded to his movements, extending the chase when you whirled around and went back to what you were doing. You heard him take a sharp inhale, and inwardly smiled.

5, 4, 3, 2…

“Thanks,” you replied, barely giving him a glance as you straightened back up and made to walk past him. Pausing, you place your hand on his shoulder almost in a motherly way, though the way your voice had taken on a sultry tone suggested you were anything but.

“Let me know if there’s anything else you want to eat.”

As you walked into the kitchen, you heard him let out a low chuckle, and felt excitement bubble within you.

Kim Taehung, or Vante, was the famous photographer that KimHit managed, and would be helping out with catching still photo content for various artist’s within the company. Part of Seokjin’s philosophy was to have his talent work with each other, to build camaraderie across the different mediums as well as maintain wealth within the company.

It was well known within the entertainment world that Taehyung had an… eccentric taste. Once you started working at KimHit, you found out that it was not just within his art. He had been spotted by other coworkers frequenting Primal—a sex club for the elite to delve into their deepest desires. You and Nayeon had bonded over your love for Vante and his art, and she had shared this information.

Another stylist had gone with him once, and shared quite eagerly with Nayeon and the other stylists that he was definitely a dominating type, that he enjoyed the pursuit of his partner, and was essentially, a predator.

You had done exactly the thing to drive him to begin the chase. You responded to him in a way that caught his attention, and then tried to quell your prey driven response and assert yourself as unaffected. If there was one thing that was going to make him pursue it was the dismissive way you treated his compliment paired with a very forward statement. He wanted to know more about you, wanted to push your limits, to conquer you.

Taehyung began his pursuit not long after that first encounter and you played along, as he aggressively flirted, took you out on dates, and then, like a chess match, called his checkmate. And you were his Queen.

The only problem was that you were under contract with KimHit to not become romantically involved with any of the Talent. Tae knew this, and was careful with his behaviors in public. He maintained his stoic disposition when in company of others, but once the cafe area was empty, he was dragging you away before you could lock up. Tae was all over you, mouth ravishing your body as his hands took possession of your body, laying claim to every curve, tracing the swell of your breasts, the roundness of your ass, squeezing your thighs tightly as he buried his cock deep within your walls.

-Earlier that day-

Gemini, the girl group who had been on tour previously was finished with their schedule, and you would be staying on for the next round of artists. This consisted of the prominent male artists, J2J opening for RM and Agust D, who had recently dropped a joint album. These sets of performances were different from your previous tour in that they would be holding performances at the same arena for the span of a month, allowing fans all over the country to have time to come see them before the month was up.

There was just one catch to the good news of being able to work for a month without traveling. Taehyung would be leaving for a month to work on his own art, paired with JayKay who would be the videographer for his project. Neither of you were happy about being separated, especially since he was friends with all of the men you would be cooking for, who knew nothing about the two of you dating.

He would never tell you that that was his reason, he had never said anything about his friends talking about you when they saw you in the KimHit office cafe working, when there were no Gemini schedules at the venues in town. Or, how they lusted over your body, your lovely features, your soft and gentle manner, over everything that was his . Every predator’s biggest fear is losing their territory.

It wasn’t that Tae didn’t have faith in you, it was that he understood how other predators were. You belonged to him in a different way now, he had already conquered you in a prey-like aspect. You were almost akin to pups, cubs, or other vulnerable babies of mammal species. You were his. Call you territory, call you a kitten or cub, you belonged to him. And anyone sniffing around what was his... well it didn’t sit well with him.

The night before he left, he marked you, trailing merlot colored bruises down your neck, across your collarbone, accompanying bite marks to your chest, scarlet handprints staining your skin on your backside, small fingerprint sized marks showing his lasting grip to your hips and thighs, if only he could be sure that he had left lasting marks to your heart.

He was in love with you, which scared him. He feared you leaving him while he was gone more than anything else. More than you not loving him back. He could deal with you not loving him as long as you didn’t leave .

While you slept in his arms that last night, after that particularly rigorous session, he held you, whispering his love into your hair in the dead of the night, silent prayers that you would still be his when he returned.

—

Taehyung enjoyed his time traveling around France for the month. With Jungkook as his companion and you being on the other end of the many FaceTime calls, it wasn’t so hard for Taehyung to get through the month. He felt his insecurities subside a little more when he called you and you answered. He knew that you weren’t in danger of leaving him.

You on the other hand struggled with his absence. Your body craved his touch, and you spent evenings touching yourself in hopes that it would feel like him, but it never did. The new talent you were working with didn’t make it any easier for you while missing Taehyung.

J-Hope, half of the dancing duo J2J,spent almost the entire month flirting with you, relentlessly. He was handsome, tall, lithe; his body, moved in ways you’d never seen before until he took the stage. You loved Taehyung and had no intentions of cheating on him. However, you missed the up close and personal attention you’d become so accustomed to with Taehyung, and you enjoyed the attention from J-Hope—or Hobi, the name he asked you to call him.

He shamelessly flirted with you nonstop, to the point that you were fairly certain Tae would be highly upset if he were to witness it. But it appeared harmless to you since your heart and body were already taken by Taehyung, even if no one else knew it.

—

“Hey,” Hobi approached you while you were finishing up for the day, catching you right before you disappeared behind the swinging metal kitchen doors. “I had a question for you.”

“Sure, what’s up?” your hands were positioned on your hips as you turned, and you didn’t miss the way his gaze took its time traveling up before settling on your own.

“I wanted to have a small party tonight, to celebrate the end of the performances. I’ll text you the address, I would love for you to come.”

“Oh, I’ll have to see...” you replied, knowing that Taehyung and JayKay would be arriving back to town that evening.

“Please, Carla, I hope you can make it.” Hobi stepped closer, his hand reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “At the very least, can I pay you to make a cake for the celebration tonight?”

You found yourself nodding to that. That way you could still do something nice for a friend without upsetting Tae by spending his first night back home out with his friends and not with him.

“Of course, Hobi. Just text me the address. I’ll make you your favorite… my signature Devil’s Food Cake with Cream Cheese icing and strawberries.”

“You’re an actual angel, babe.” Hobi smiled his heart shaped smile, but the glint in his eye was as devilish as the cake you planned to make. “I can’t wait. The party is black and red attire… but please, come in all white.”

—

Texting Tae, you mentioned that you would be a little late to his place due to a last minute catering stop. You had started doing small catering services since you wouldn’t be traveling out of town this month, so it wasn’t unusual for you to tell Tae that you needed an hour or two in order to fulfill orders for your customers.

Before leaving for the party, you double checked the white body con dress you had put on. It had a heart shaped neckline with baby doll straps, and you had tied your hair into a chignon, slicked back to show off your decolletage. A simple necklace with a small camera charm hung from the chain rested almost into your cleavage, the tiny diamond in the lens catching the light from the bulb in the hallway.

Liking the reflection you saw, you carted off your finished cake to your SUV and made your way to the location on your map.

Turning onto a main road, you had thought that the party Hobi was hosting was at his own place, but as you pulled into a parking lot you couldn’t help but notice the bright red sign. Primal . The very club that allowed people to explore their sexual desires on the second floor while the dance floor allowed people to party on the first. You had always wanted to come here after you found out about Taehyung coming here, but as the top floor was invite only…

Once you had started dating Tae in secret, you had forgotten about this place, not needing to seek out a place to explore your fantasies when they happened in his bedroom now. Unloading the SUV, you carried the boxed cake towards the entrance, where the bouncer at the front signalled for you to enter.

“Hoseok said to be on the lookout for the angel in white with a cake.”

You laughed to yourself, warmth crossed your cheeks at the description.

“Just head to the desk, tell them you’re headed to room 7, the password for your party is ‘hope in hell’.”

Following the instructions he gave you, the attendant at the desk led you to the door of room 7, which was tucked in the back corner of the second floor. She opened the door, which allowed you to walk into the room, lit with red lights. Music was playing throughout the speakers on the walls, and you heard the chatter of the party goers as you ascended into the depths of Primal.

“Carla!” Hobi’s voice called over the hum of the party and you turned to take in his outfit, all black to match his hair. He waved you in his direction, and upon reaching him, you handed the box off and he placed the cake on the table beside him.

“Wow, this looks amazing!” he said as he unboxed it, eyes turning back to you as he licked his lips. “Purely… delectable.”

You couldn’t help the way your body reacted. Taking in how you responded to his words, he smirked as he watched you look away. Looking around the room now, you were able to take in the scene. You truly were the only person that was in white. You could see people gyrating on each other, talking closely in small groups, drinking their fair share of alcohol, and disappearing into other rooms with each other, carnal looks in their eyes. Hobi grabbed a strawberry and held it to your mouth. You opened when it touched your bottom lip, but he teased you, trailing it along your full bottom lip before pushing it slowly into your mouth. You bite, taking in the sweetness of the fruit.

Setting down the tuft of green left over, he grabbed a napkin, clearing his fingers of the red residue before grabbing another strawberry, which he handed to you.

“Feed me.”

Unable to say no to his demand, you oblige. You had drawn an audience since you walked through the door; heated gazes on you, watching your every move, you couldn’t have said no to the host, and he knew it. Holding the strawberry up to him, his lips wrapped delicately around the plump fruit, teeth seamlessly slicing through it as some of the red liquid dripped down his chin. Your gaze follows the trail of it and you bite your lip.

“Thank you again, angel.” Hobi pulls your glance back to his eyes, stepping closer towards you for a hug.

“Thank you for inviting me Hobi, I can’t stay long, but I appreciate it.”

As he gathers you into a hug, you feel his hands drift down along your curves, hands holding your ass in a way that prevented you from moving away from him. His length, hard, pressed between your thighs and you felt his lips ghost over your neck.

“Do you have enough time for me to show you a good time?” he asked, and as much as you would have said yes if you were single, you had Taehyung possibly already waiting for you at your place.

“Sorry, I can’t tonight.” You pout, trying your best to be vague. No one knew about you and Tae, and you had to keep it that way.

“Not tonight? So when can I get you all alone?” This time, his teeth nipped at your skin, and you involuntarily shivered in his arms, moving closer into his grip.

“Um..” you tried hard to formulate words, his dominating persona calling to the submissive in you.

“𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁.”

Taehyung’s low voice practically growled as his hand gripped your neck possessively. Hobi released you, his eyes a mischievous smile as he took in the way your head turned in response to Tae’s voice, body moving towards him as if it was second nature.

“She’s mine, Hobi-hyung.”

The song was low, changing from one to another, and you felt the eyes of the other guests on the three of you. From your peripheral you could see that RM, Suga, and Jimin were watching, amused, while JayKay was standing off to the side of Tae, snickering.

“Ahhhh,” Hobi said, mind putting together all of the information over the past few months. The way that Taehyung had always grown quiet when they talked about asking you out until he would forcefully say that you were unavailable, that you had told him you weren’t single. The way you had turned down all the advances Hobi had made. The way that Taehyung seemed to almost be enraged when the crew would talk about your sumptuous body. His eyes met Jin’s, who shrugged and pretended not to see anything, walking away with a girl who had on a black lingerie set.

Tugging your hand, Tae led you towards a door and pulled you inside. It was dim, quiet, empty of passerby and onlookers.

Taehyung turned to face you, backing you towards the door you had just walked through. His arm reached over you, swinging the door shut so you were pressed against it.

“I’m gone for a month, Carla... and this is how you behave when Daddy is away?” His eyes don’t meet yours, instead they follow the path his finger makes as it trails down your cheek, slow and deliberate.

“I was trying to keep up appearances… I was about to leave, I promise.”

“Didn’t much look like you were trying to leave. Looked like you were allowing him to touch what was mine.”

“Tae, I promise—” your voice was frantic, worried he would leave you, but he cut you off.

“I saw you and him! You let him feed you.. Let him touch you..” His eyes, typically your favorite shade of deep mahogany were now black.

“Tae, I swear, it was innocent. If I had refused, they would have known.. I think they suspect so—”

Tae’s large hand tightened on your throat slightly, and you gasped, arching slightly.

“Kneel.”

Falling to your knees, your eyes meet the floor as you watch his slip on black Gucci loafers circle around you. You can hear his fingers meddle with his belt.

“You,” he paused, attempting to tame his anger, “are mine.”

His hand gripped your chignon, pulling your head in whatever direction he wanted as he continued speaking. You kept your body loose so that he could control your movements. Angling your head to look up at him, he took his other hand and used his fingers to pinch your cheeks and open your mouth.

“This mouth… is mine.”

His cock, standing at full length, entered your mouth roughly and you slackened your jaw to allow his girth to fill your hole. He face-fucked you, hips snapping as he plunged his cock into your throat. You hollow your cheeks, running your warm tongue along the bottom and grazing his frenulum. The flared tip caught on your lips as he pulled out, and you suckled the head how he liked as he held your face still with only the tip engulfed in the warmth of your mouth.

“Fuck, like that angel.” Taehyung expressed his enjoyment with low grunts and caresses to your face as you did your best to please him and apologize for what he witnessed.

“Ah, this mouth is sinful… aren’t you my little angel?” he asked, removing himself from your lips with a lewd popping sound. His hands moved to your chignon and he pulled out the pin holding it together, allowing your hair to fall.

“Yes,” you panted, short of breath, “I’m your angel.”

He nodded with a low hum, and brought you to stand. His mouth was harsh, rough as he kissed and bit your now swollen lips with his own. His grasp on your body was tight; you expected to see small fingertip bruises from his grip in the morning.

Pulling away, the trail of saliva from your mouth to his strained thin before snapping, and Tae was more turned on than ever watching the way you leaned forward chasing the kiss.

“You aren’t acting like my angel... You’re dressed like her, but you haven’t been behaving like her.”

As he moves through the room, you finally take in your surroundings. The room is mostly bare, no bed, but there is a small love seat on the wall to the left and a door in the wall straight ahead that had a sex swing attached to it. Your stomach flipped in excitement. Taehyung gave you a series of looks and, without words, you obeyed his commands. He had you naked and strapped into the swing in a matter of minutes, shedding his flowing black silk shirt.

“That’s better… the white dress made you look too pure for what I’m about to do to you.”

Running his cock along your folds, your slick coated the tip and he pushed himself into you without much prep. This was a part of your punishment, you knew, and the feeling of him so full inside of you had your body adjusting to him with more of your juices produced with every thrust he made. Your legs were propped up in the sex swing, held by straps that wrapped around your thighs, and you slid up along the door with the force of Taehyung’s hips.

“You’re mine, Carla. All mine.”

“Yes... Fuck, yes Tae, I’m yours.”

His teeth marked your neck, his large hands gripping your thighs and you could feel the throbbing of his dick as he continuously buried it inside of you. You moaned out, unable to stay quiet after a month of being deprived of him. His scent filled the surrounding area and enveloped you, and you couldn’t help but feel like it wasn’t enough, you wanted more of him.

“Please Tae.. I need… I— I need m-more...”

He thrusts into you deeply, slapping your ass as he pushes against your cervix and you cry out, nails digging into his back. You’re sure that you’ve left small crescent moons along his shoulder blades. He circles his hips while remaining deep inside of you, and he growls in your ear.

“You feel so good, God, I missed you.”

“-m-missed you… too...”

“It’s so tight, baby. I’m gonna… fuck, I’m gonna fill you so good baby.”

“Please,” you beg, and he drops his hand down to press against your clit.

You felt it building fast, the pull in your abdomen and as your hips bucked to gain more friction against his hardened member, you squeezed around him, feeling every curve and vein along the shaft and he bit hard onto your shoulder, his hot cum filling you up.

Crying out, you’re so close, but Tae pulls out of you, eyes meeting yours. And you know he’s not going to allow you release at this moment. Punishment for your earlier behavior.

You almost whine at him, exhausted because all you want is to fall apart before you fall asleep wrapped in his arms. You make to say something to him, going against your submissive state to tell him that you want more, you want to finish, before his voice whispers a command.

“Clench.”

You follow his directive, using your walls to force his cum out of you and you smile sleepily as you hear his slight intake of breath as you feel him drip down your thigh. The pads of his fingers are gentle as he scooped it back up and tucked his release back inside of you, two fingers eliciting a quiet, slick sound as they enter your abused core.

“You can cum later tonight baby, after I get you home...”

You nod, glad that he was going to allow you an orgasm at some point tonight. He leans forward to kiss you, his tongue tangling lazily with yours as he releases you from the sex swing.

“.. If you earn it.”

RUNNER UP COVER THAT DIDN’T WIN BUT I LOVE IT TOO SO HERE IT IS

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