#if you listen closely you can hear me autotune baby | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

captainunderkrupp · 4 years

Text

ppl were talking abt branch being good with kids on this one discord i’m in and i remembered this unfinished fic that i had!!

(for some reason, they are out on a camping trip or smth. i wrote this before twt came out and just kind of went w what info i had from like the first two trailers lol)

Branch groaned. And kept groaning. It was neverending, like he was just lungs, sighing forever.

"What?" Poppy asked, finally getting tired of waiting for him to finish.

He cut himself off. "The ground's too wet. I can't start a fire."

"Oh, that's not too bad!" Poppy grinned. "We don't need the light, we'll be sleeping!"

Branch glared at her. "We need the heat! We'll freeze to death!"

"Oh..." Poppy felt suddenly lucky that she was totally pink; it was hard to see blush when you were monochrome.

"That's ok!" Satin and Chenille chorused.

"Yeah!" Biggie agreed.

Branch squinted, trying to figure out what they could be talking about. "Oh no," he muttered, not quite sure yet, but he was sure he wouldn't like it.

"We can cu~udle!" Guy Diamond sang, holding Tiny close. Tiny, of course, didn't give him a proper hug back, but enjoyed the contact.

Branch groaned, and went back to try and light the wet wood. When he had fallen into the creek earlier, even his backup wood, in case it did rain like this, had gotten wet.

He was stuck.

"Fine!" he shouted, throwing his flint down at the ground. He hesitated, and then picked it back up. "We'll cuddle. Can't be worse than..." he shuddered. "Hug time."

Everyone cheered, and started moving in.

"Not yet!" he shrieked, and everyone paused. "Just... give me a minute. Jeez."

He started pulling out... weapons. Or, not just weapons, but a lot of stuff. No one looking was really sure where they were coming from, but there were blades from his pockets, roots from his vest, strange contraptions from his hair. It took a moment, but he finally seemed to have removed a lot from his person.

"No wonder hug time is uncomfortable for him," Cooper muttered. Unfortunately, he had no volume control, so Branch heard him anyway.

Branch rolled his eyes, and then rolled out a tarp. "Here. So we're not just sleeping on wet ground."

Everyone complimented him on his forethought, getting comfortable on the tarp. Satin and Chenille were wrapped around Smidge, Cooper settled down on the outside of the pile, and Biggie was underneath Poppy and Guy Diamond, who made sure Tiny wasn't squished by the cuddling but was also cozy.

Branch glanced around, looking for a place he could tuck himself in at the edge. "So, uh... where should I...?"

Poppy looked up, and grinned. She looked conspiratorially at Smidge and Biggie.

"Oh no. That look, I know that, look, what are you-- AAH!" he screamed as Smidge launched her hair at him, lifting him easily and dumping him between Poppy and Guy. Biggie immediately threw an arm over all three of them, and Poppy intertwined her hair with Branch's.

Branch blushed. He tried to struggle, tried to get out, but there were too many people, and this was... really... cozy... actually...

He was asleep before Poppy could tease him about being comfortable.

"Whoa, he went out like a light!" Biggie whispered.

"Aw, he's snoring!" Satin cooed, and Chenille groaned at the idea of sleeping with someone who snores. Luckily it was soft.

"Wow, this is the fastest I've ever seen him go to sleep," Poppy noted.

"You've seen him sleep before?" Cooper asked, lifting his head up and laying it over Guy so he could see better. Guy carefully made sure Tiny wasn't pinned.

"Well, yeah, we've had sleepovers. Sometimes he had to stay at mine and Dad's place before he was old enough to build that bunker of his. And he, uh..." she blushed, grinning. "Invited me over a few nights ago."

A chorus of "aww!"s erupted.

Branch jolted, adjusted, and went right back to sleep. He never even opened his eyes.

Everyone let out a breath they didn't realize they'd been holding.

"Ok," Poppy whispered, "Let's just settle down, and we'll all have a nice night."

Everyone fell asleep pretty soon after that. Except for one troll, who smiled down at Branch's resting face, before settling down herself.

Branch jolted awake, barely holding back a scream. He gasped, attempting to stave off a panic attack... and not doing so well.

In the low light, he barely registered it was early morning. Mostly, he noticed that he was tangled up with almost everyone else. Quickly, trying to breathe without hyperventilating, he disentangled himself as best he could from the cuddle pile.

Eventually, Branch had managed to extract himself, without even disturbing anyone. He was pretty proud of that.

But for right now, he needed to breathe.

He took a quick gasp in, 1234, held it, 1234, let it out, 12345678, in, 1234, hold, 1234, out, 123 4 5 6 7 8, in, 1 2 3 4, hold, 1 2 3 4, out, 1 2 3 4 5... 6... 7... 8...

Eventually his breathing finally slowed, and he could close his eyes without seeing the vivid colors of his nightmare behind the lids. He fell onto a nearby rock with a shuddering breath. Should I go back to bed? No, I slept through the night, and it's early in the morning already... He sighed again.

"Branch?"

He nearly screamed again, jumping and flailing. He fell into a practiced pose, ears twitching for a threat.

His eyes fell on Tiny Diamond, blinking innocently from barely more than a few arm lengths away.

Branch paled. "Tiny!" He struggled to relax, not wanting to scare Guy's baby.

Tiny rubbed his eye under his glasses. "You woke me up," he complained.

Branch had to wince. He had tried to be careful... but he supposed kids were easier to disturb. "Sorry, Tiny. I didn't mean to." He shuffled, not sure what to do with himself.

Small, curious eyes stared at him, and Tiny's head tilted. "What woke you up?"

"Just a nightmare."

"What's a nightmare?"

Branch blinked, surprised. Oh, right. As much as younger trolls could learn just from listening from their eggs, there were definitely gaps in their education, depending on what they were exposed to.

He supposed no one in the Snack Pack enjoyed talking about nightmares, so why would Tiny know?

"It's... a very bad dream."

"Oh, yeah, ok," Tiny nodded, seemingly understanding. Branch paused, waiting for Tiny to ask more.

But the trolling didn't seem to have anymore questions about that. "Do you know when my Daddy's going to wake up?"

Branch glanced back over at the pile with Tiny. Guy seemed to be sleep singing, and Branch wondered if someone was going to join in-- yep. Poppy was starting to hum.

"Uh... not sure, actually." He looked up at the sky. The moon waved back, and he could see the sun slowly, slowly coming up. It was a slow dawn, then. "The sun won't be up for a while, and that's when they usually wake up."

Tiny sighed, in that overly honest yet unweary way only little kids can. "Okaaay," he drew out the word, and then started beatboxing under his breath. Branch could hear him muttering ideas, switching around rhymes and verses.

It was catchy, he had to admit. He started humming along, a bit.

Tiny looked delighted. He scrambled to sit on the rock Branch was occupying, and Branch tried to scoot to give the kid the flatter side of it.

They sat there a while, trading rhythms and verses quietly. He could hear some more sleep singing from a distance, just slightly out of sync with their own music.

Eventually, the sun had traded out with the moon in the sky. It was definitely daytime, even if it was a little early.

Branch had an idea. A terrible idea. He grinned. The perfect revenge.

"Hey, Tiny," he whispered, leaning in toward the trolling. The kid perked up, staring wide-eyed at Branch, attentive. "You want to help me wake up the Snack Pack?"

Tiny grinned; of course he did, the Snack Pack included his Daddy! He jumped up, all excited. "Yeah! What'cha wanna do? Cuz I know you've got an idea!"

Branch chuckled at Tiny's enthusiasm. "Yeah. Here..." he whispered into Tiny's ear, and Tiny grinned.

The whole Snack Pack was all very deeply asleep. A good cuddle pile will do that to your average troll. Especially on a cold night, surprisingly. Guy was just beginning to twitch, frowning in his sleep as he subconsciously searched for his son, who didn't seem to be...

He jolted up at the sudden noise of a beat being dropped, an expert beatboxing suddenly bursting into the clearing they'd decided to camp out in.

Directly after that, a loud crescendo of "OoooOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH..." went through the air and woke everyone else up.

"Tiny D, break it down!"

Suddenly, Tiny burst into all their lines of sight, rapping his heart out. He sung about the sunrise and missing his dad and how he was glad they were awake, and beatboxing accompanied him all the while.

By the end, everyone had calmed, and most were even clapping. Guy settled for jumping up and picking up his son in delight.

"That was amazing!" he squealed, letting the last word be sung, autotuned. Tiny laughed and leaned back into his dad's face, nearly headbutting him.

"Wait, who gave him that awesome beat?" Cooper wondered sleepily, still rubbing muck out of his eyes.

Tiny pointed, and slowly, everyone turned toward a rock in the clearing that no one had really noticed before. Branch smirked and waved at all of them.

Jaws dropped. "Whoa!" Poppy shrieked, and everyone clamored. "When did you learn to beatbox?!"

Branch flinched, trying not to get trampled this early in the morning, thank you. "Hey, back off," he snapped.

He quickly devolved, though. His lips twitched, and then it was all over. He was laughing, hard and long. Tiny had started laughing long before, and their voices echoed through the clearing.

"Ha ha ha... you... you... your faces!! Ha ha..." he finally petered out, just letting out small giggles. Tiny was still going.

Everyone was staring at Branch. Poppy somehow looked more pink than usual.

(A/N: I have an hc that Tiny is a little bit touch averse. Not much, he loves contact, but he doesn't like hugs or anything else constrictive. And he mostly hangs out with his dad rather than other people. possibly bc glitter trolls have more sensitive skin? i would be too if my skin/entire body could flake off that easily.)

#fluiditywrites #dreamworks trolls #trolls world tour #tiny diamond #branch #queen poppy #snack pack #tag later #hc tag

74 notes · View notes

haus-of-wu · 4 years

Text

Bonamana (미인아) 10th Anniversary Album Analysis/Rediscovery

youtube

Happy 10th Anniversary to Bonamana / 4jib !

I viscerally remember this album coming out when I was in the 8th grade and using my damn iTunes gift cards to buy the album tracks for my iPod nano. (WTF was streaming in 2010)

Bonamana was the first album of many in SJ’s discography that didn’t have the full lineup of members. Hangeng had departed SM, Kibum had announced a hiatus to focus on acting, and Kangin was starting off what would become SJ’s almost decade-long military rotation era.

We’ve come a long way, and we’re still out here !!

Track analysis and re-reaction below the cut - as a veteran ELF I find that middle school me fixated on certain songs (and was the biggest Ryeowook stan), and then completely forgot about entire other songs, so it’s always a fun time going back down memory lane.

Bonamana (미인아)

Even if you look and look, look and look, look and look There’s no one else but me.

It’s true, true that my feelings don’t have a place to go. You know that I adjusted myself to fit you

honestly the best iteration of the “SJ Funky” sound that started with “Sorry Sorry” imo

an absolute headbanger !! if you aren’t already bobbing your head to the bass line and percussion in the first 10 seconds you are not human

this has just the right tasteful amount of autotune that makes it age a lot better than sorry sorry over the years

i’m sorry but the choreo absolutely fucks especially with kyuhyun going out there being like “you thought i was a main vocal? i’m in this fucking dance break”

re:choreo, it’s understandable that they’ve pivoted to the rock remix of this for super shows bc there’s a squat move they do that is not friendly on the knees at all

if you wanted a club BOP about a guy trying his hardest to figure out how to get a girl’s attention, this is it

donghae doing a magic trick for every music show performance of this, while looking fiercely in character while delivering his line as a man who is hella stressed about what to get the girl as a present

the way ryeowook and sungmin (tenor line !!) exchange lines

this song made me go feral in 2010

No Other

youtube

Hearing you tell me that you love me, I have everything in this world, You & I, You’re so fine, Is there someone like you? I love you Oh, please know it, to me there’s only you, That I stupidly see you As my everything

that feel-good cute love song that served as the foil to Bonamana

the softest MV !!

just super chill and smile inducing

all the music show performances of this are just...so cute (also featured so many shenanigans like leeteuk yelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEENIM/GOOD LUCK SHINEE, and random members playing rock paper scissors in the middle of the performance)

probably has the most evenly split line distributions for the time (each member has their own verse of sorts)

contains one of my favorite hyukjae rap parts - it flows in such a relaxing way

Shake It Up (Remix Version)

Hey get up, (Hey get up) everyone come here (everyone come here) Just shake (all your thoughts) Just shake it up!

your everyday repetitive life, right now shake it up your repeated thoughts of sadness- right now shake it up Are you separated from the world? It all depends on you

SJ said shake it up !

chill club song with the touch of autotune, heavy synth, and weird background “oh OHs” of the time

the predecessor to the electronic chill vibe that Skydive has

they really told us to have fun and enjoy

honestly the song i didn’t realize i’d need in quarantine as i jam out at my desk

All My Heart

The words I still can’t say The words that got stuck in my throat I love you more than anyone else It’s still you and me, me me me me me me me me

In this moment I’m really happy I’m really grateful that you came to me The one who gives everything to me It’s only you and me, me me me me me me just you

a simple guitar instrumental with soothing vocals, a wholesome r&b

composed by LEETEUK AND HENRY? fuck me up fam

as a kid this was just the “nanana nanana na” song (that’s the me me me part of the chorus lmao)

this is the happy song that you’d like wave your lighters to maybe

hyukjae’s been singing “don’t wake me up” for eons

god this song makes me so soft

A Short Journey

My heart that loved you My eyes that looked at you Are still here

Oh baby say goodbye, for a short while goodbye I’ll go back to the place when I once was When I open that door and take one step So that I can stand in front of you who I missed

My heart that loved you My eyes that looked at you Will wait

Kangin going to the military tribute song composed by Donghae and lyrics by Hyukjae? they really had all the rights in 2010

god the lyrics really hit me in my ELF heart. like we really went through a whole decade of military service and said goodbye for now so many times

the opening piano intro? i hate you donghae i really do

hyukjae these lyrics man. why. why you gotta make our hearts hurt like this

another simple instrumental with soothing vocals, but this time it hits you in the feels a bit

if you weren’t listening to the lyrics, this feels like a song you’d watch your parents slow dance to in the house

thanks for triggering the “i miss kangin” hours G O D

Boom Boom

From head to toe you are wrapped with all luxury things Hoo~ so eye-blinding, who would ever dare to touch you?

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star I’m trying to get a hot girl, I’m drawn to her bad look look look am I wrong?

It’s nothing but such a beautiful sin

THE OTHER BANGER IN THIS ALBUM

yeah i feel like 13/14 y.o. me only was here for bonamana and boom boom back in 2010 which is like...pretty valid given the taste of your typical middle schooler in 2010

but literally. if you thought bonamana was about a guy desperate to get the girl, boom boom was legit like “shit she’s hot like sin and hooking up with her might be a mistake for me but oh well wtf why the hell not”

kyuhyun’s line at the beginning “from head to toe/머리부터 발 끝까지” is apparently used in a lot of lyrics, to the point where D&E were like, Bout You’s Korean title is gonna be that, AND it’s gonna be in the chorus. this was totally off-topic.

the whiplash in this album honestly. soft love songs to trying to get girls in the club to i’ll wait for you to finish military service. they have the RANGE

Coagulation

On the window and on my eyes Dew forms, tears form, a small stream is made Where they’re from and how they form over and over even I don’t know The only thing I know is that I just really hurt My formerly burning heart is slowly becoming cold It seems even I don’t know what to say, or how to hold on to you

time for a KRY ballad (can you BELIEVE they are finally having their first whole-ass album in june ??)

break up crying song included with the album of two absolute bangers

just close your eyes and get taken away on the sad rainy day ballad

Your Eyes

I want to erase all of my insufficient former self It seems like someone like me has nothing to give to you

Do you still remember, do you believe that it’s only you for me Do you know how long you can keep me by your side In this large world, there’s only one person (I only want you) Did you know this about me

sad piano r&b time !! brought to you by yesung and kyuhyun only

harmonies

kyuhyun’s bridge though

easily a candidate for some drama OST

i feel like this album really just had two sides - party rock central and r&b feels

My Only Girl

Even if I cover my ears I can hear it, even if I close my eyes, I can see it Even if I shut my mouth I keep calling out for you I am stupid I hate how I can’t get over you

we really opened this song with “cause i’m lonely” huh (screams at how applicable this still is for them TEN years later)

i love everything about this song except the chorus

the chorus is very underwhelming

My All Is In You

Even though I’m pretending to smile Without knowing why In truth I want to cry

It seems love is ending like this Before I know it our parting is approaching You say “goodbye” To me, letting you go is still difficult Please give me a little more time I can’t live without you My all is in you

another sad breakup bop why are you guys so good at this genre

the percussion comes in so nicely

little strings in the background that help accentuate the words (chef’s kiss)

KRY really were already yelling not even halfway into this song - perf

we literally are only in the second chorus folks

this song is great, it’s only sin was that it said “rap line you just don’t get lines”, so rip heechul, hyukjae, and shindong

Shake it Up!

the original - way less electro, more acoustic

has a very lo-fi beginning and then it amps up

has some interesting high pitched synth piano twiddling up there

a tad slower than the remix, but not by much if at all

dude the horns coming in behind hyukjae’s rap !! it fucks !

if the remix version’s vibe is people having fun in the club, this one’s vibe is a summer bbq party in the backyard

god i really love the horn line - it gives it such a nice vibe

another point in the “feel good” bucket

In My Dream

She’s walking away Embracing another person My chest’s like it’s being crushed under a heavy weight

I’m dreaming again, right? Cold sweat runs down my body It hurts to dream about things, I hate to remember

I wish I would fall asleep forever like this I wake up with her presence still… although I hope I don’t dream again, Like today, it seems I fall asleep with her presence

piano and string sadness here we go

bring back SJ KRY + donghae + sungmin

this chorus for this song stabs me in the heart every time

i’m mad where’s the MV for the heart-wrenching sad ballad

kings of emotional power vocals

we really are out here singing our hearts out about that ex-girlfriend that haunts us as we try to fall asleep

if they ever perform this all ELF in the vicinity would immediately die

One Fine Spring Day

A warm wind is blowing like it was that night The flowers you lovingly planted have bloomed Before I know it spring has come again I still want to deeply sleep like it’s winter

You are so very far, so very far To be honest I miss you every day Even the very small, very small trivial things make me think of you every day

still laughing the ryeowook brought up bonamana as his favorite album on weekly idol bc it contained his first ever solo track ;kasjf;aksdf king of promoting only himself

this is v soft, v much aligned with the little prince image that wasn’t even in the works yet

the imagery of the lyrics man. cute winter to spring yearning uwus

s o f t e s t

like this is literally the song that inspired every fanfic writer that’s ever written ryeowook as persephone in some greek god au

Good Person

When you laugh I feel good too, even when you say it’s just pretend You bring happiness to the days when I wait for you, the nights when I miss you Even when I’m alone it’s okay if I can just see you I’m always behind you, I’m always looking out for you, but it seems like I have to share

The difference between me and the person who makes you cry is that all I can do is comfort you

this song sounds like something that would be in the opening of an animated show that takes place in a high school

now that i’m looking at the lyrics, this is literally an upbeat sounding song accepting that they’ve been friendzoned and all they can do is support her relationship with the other guy

bittersweet nostalgia bop i guess

Here We Go

cue family/action movie credit music vibes

i don’t have much to say about it - i just isn’t something i’d listen to on the regular

it’s just happy-go-lucky finale type music

it has a really old-school hyukjae/shindong rap verse lmao

vocal line is out here yelling, very on-brand

24 notes · View notes

wyattvsmusic · 3 years

Text

Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon III: The Chosen ALBUM REVIEW

Kid Cudi’s second album, Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager is one of my favorite albums of all time and he had been teasing a part 3 for a very long time, allowing 10 years to pass between part 2 and 3. If he announced MOTM3 maybe two years after MOTM2, I don’t think that the anticipation would have been has high as actually was for this one. The bar that the first two parts of the trilogy have raised has grown a lot since so the title of MOTM3 puts extra pressure on the album to deliver. Though it has been 10 years in terms of the Man On The Moon series, Cudi has put out a lot of music. Some were really great (Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’, KIDS SEE GHOSTS) and some were pretty damn bad (WZRD). The 4 studio albums and 2 collaborative albums that he has put out have marked some highs and lows (and combinations of both) in Cudi’s career so the fact that Man On The Moon III is finally out seems like a very full circle moment for him. To be honest, I was pretty disappointed with this album after my first listen but similar to my feelings about some of his previous albums like Satellite Flight, this one took a few more listens for me to warm up to it to the point where I really like it. On first listen, there were a few instant standouts, some that I wasn’t really feeling and then there were some that I was pretty indifferent toward. With each complete listen, this album gets better and better to me. One thing I noticed especially at the beginning of this album is that some of the younger artists that Cudi has influenced like Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert and Jaden Smith seem to also be influencing him. You can hear it in his use of adlibs, some of his melodies and in some of the ways that he utilizes autotune. I think that was one of the first thing that initially turned me off to certain songs but I like some of them now. This might be the most rapping Kid Cudi has done on an album of his maybe since Indicud and I’m here for it because he has stepped his rapping up. It wasn’t really something I expected from a Man On The Moon project but I respect it. Songs like She Knows This and Show Out sound nothing like anything Cudi has ever flowed over before. Show Out definitely sounded more like a Pop Smoke song featuring Kid Cudi but I loved it either way. Skepta sounds comfortable for that beat and made for a perfect bridge between Cudi and Pop Smoke. Cudi’s verse on that song was probably one of his best rapping performances on the album. About the first third of the album consists of more rap-oriented tracks but the album gradually transitions into a more modern update of the Man On The Moon sound. A perfect example of this is a song like Sept. 16. When Elsie’s Baby Boy first came on, I thought that I was gonna hate it because I usually don’t like songs with guitar melodies like that but it’s one of my favorite songs. I love the hook and the story he told on the song and what really makes the song fantastic are Kid Cudi’s godly hums. When it comes to quintessential Kid Cudi and the Man On The Moon sound I was hoping to get, I got it on The Void, which is easily my favorite song. It’s just what I need right now from Kid Cudi and it’s very fitting for the song’s title. I love a good portion of the songs on this album and the ones that I was indifferent toward at first are starting to become favorites. My main issue with this album is that I wish there was a bit more variety in the production and I’m not crazy about some of the melodies on certain tracks like Sad People. I also didn’t like the Trippie Redd feature on Rockstar Knights. I like the production, especially the beat switch on that song but the Trippie feature didn’t really do it for me. Though this album isn’t even close to touching the first two, it’s still a really good album and there aren’t really any bad songs on it. Cudi is at a very different place in his life since Man On The Moon II. He’s ten years older and he has made a lot of progress regarding his mental health so of course the album is not going to be exactly like MOTM1 or 2.

Fav Tracks: She Knows This, Show Out, Elsie’s Baby Boy (flashback), Sept. 16, The Void, The Pale Moonlight, 4 da Kidz

#Kid Cudi #Man On The Moon III #MOTM3 #skepta #pop smoke #phoebe bridgers #trippie redd #man on the moon 3

2 notes · View notes

carlyfrombleachers · 3 years

Text

Liveblogging of TS6 (reputation)

Okay. Let me preface this by saying I don’t like Taylor Swift. I think she’s a boring artist, who brings close to nothing to the table. The reason I’m even listening to Reputation is because I keep getting recommended an interview of Jack Antonoff where he talks about New Year’s Day (which is a song on Reputation) and I really want to watch that but I also want to know what the fuck he’s talking about. So here we are. Don’t expect more stuff like this from me. I expect this to be just a one-off thing. Swifties, don’t fucking come after me or I will cry. The only other TS album I listened to was Lover, and I thought it was trash. Absolute garbage. And apparently this one is worse than Lover. I don’t know if I’ll regret this.

Let’s begin, I guess.

...Ready For It?

I keep thinking of that one voice clip from the Hannah Montana intro (?) where you faintly hear a girl say “are you ready for it?” and that’s my first impression just by looking at the title.

I’m hitting ‘play’ right now.

Oh nevermind, I forgot to pay Deezer this month. YouTube it is.

Hey look, Ajay is in my recommended. Queen of reactions.

Help what is this

rockstar taylor??

what the fuck is up with the beat

chorus felt weak. this is my first opinion im not done with the track

i looked at the music video for 3 seconds and i saw a horse bye

i was distracted by the music video help i dont like this

since i looked at the music video for just a lil while i should say it looks weird. it is weird in a bad way it looks like some knockoff cyberpunk thing.

why didnt she just name this “Are You Ready For It?”

I’m... not particularly blown away by this track. It’s fine. I wouldn’t bop to it but I wouldn’t object to it playing somewhere. It’s like... it’s decent.

End Game (ft. Ed Sheeran, Future)

I don’t know who Future is.

she said reputation haha thats the name of the album

ok future is a rapper i dont listen to rap thats why i dont know him

after listening to lover i cant believe this is the same woman this is so weird

not looking forward to the ed sheeran part

“i wanna be your end game” this wasnt really what i was expecting

fuck off ed sheeran (i just reached his part)

according to some tabloid lady gaga mistook ed sheeran for a waiter? i would do the same thing if i saw this redhead fuckface on the street as well lol

“big reputation, big reputation, you and me got a big reputation” so deep!!!

I guess I should take this time to-- is she rapping?

Sorry, I got distracted. I don’t think every song needs to be this huge deep piece that must be deeply analyzed for centuries, but I do expect some interesting message or context for a track at least. If it sounds good, I’d also give it a pass.

This one? This was boring. I would not verbally object to this playing close to me, I would just have a grossed out look on my face during the chorus.

I Did Something Bad

I keep reading the title in Akasaka Sad’s tune. You know the part where Rina says “A-ka-sa-ka sad, I’m a sucker”? I keep thinking “I did-I did something bad”. I don’t expect it to be like that.

“i never trust a narcissist but they love me” taylor talks about her fanbase

sorry to drag swifties publicly but i will forever take an opportunity to drag a swiftie

predictable antithesis use there with “i did something bad so why does it feel so good” but okay

why was taylor branded a snake again? she pretended it was “””gone””” with lover but like. it’s weird. its not like she punched kanye on stage in 2008 or something. i dont care enough to search for evidence that taylor is a snake so lol go off i guess

dont enjoy the post-chorus part where she’s like drddddddd dddddddd it feels so distracting the gunshots were more than enough

Yeah, this one was fine. My favorite up to this point, I think.

Don’t Blame Me

lol she said “dont blame me” then it buffered bye

i was showering for the past 25 minutes hello i was listening to track 10 and melodrama

i am enjoying this one kinda

“dont blame me love made me crazy” haha wait until you find out what your next era is

“i once was poison ivy now im your daisy” this is a pretty good line honestly

obligatory katy flop moment: haha taylor could hit the high notes in daisy

this sounds like a country song especially in the chorus i dont know what to really make of it

“loooord save me” this is why your female fans are called horse girls

This was... pretty good. The chorus weirds me out still, but it had its good moments. It was nice.

Delicate

stop saying reputation in the reputation album

this autotune voice bits of hers are so distracting

i say as i listen to how i’m feeling now by charli xcx

yes i did just roast myself. gotta leave the swifties with nothing

god the music video for this track has 400m views this woman is making my faves look like indie stars LOL

I keep getting distracted because this song is boring. It’s... okay. I guess. The music video was pretty cute. Nothing caught my attention in the track, but it sounds like gym music. It would play on a gym owned by a 30-something white woman during the yoga classes and you know it.

Look What You Made Me Do

We’ve all heard this song. I’m gonna listen to it and then be done with it.

I guess I’ll just watch the music video.

ONE BILLION VIEWS????????????

Okay. I watched the music video.

Really? All the fem guys dancing with her?

I’m not going to sit here and be like “fem guys are BAD and should all die and never be represented” because… lol. But it is kind of annoying how it was literally just fem guys dancing with her and doing all those faces because you KNOW she was looking for the impressionable gays to go “omg taylor progressive!!!!” and go talk about it on social media.

But am I saying that because I don’t like Taylor? Yes. But that doesn’t make my point less valid.

The music video was pretty good, the production on this track is really good (thank you Jack Antonoff xx) and the track itself is good. Not outstanding or perfect or a serve, it’s good.

Also the ending with all her previous eras? That was cool. The uncool part is most of the “look how rich I am” parts… because we all know you’re rich, Taylor. Nice SFX.

So It Goes…

i got an ad whyyyyyyy

fuck this shit i cant keep up with what shes saying im pulling genius out for this one

this is not lyrically deep i can tell already from genius

im not a fan of love songs i already have CRJ to cover that base and Lorde covers breakup songs I guess and this song is just. boring. lol

Nothing really shocking or noteworthy here, it’s just.. okay.

Gorgeous

I got another ad FUCK

i got a boss baby ad help

god boss baby really was something huh i completely forgot about that

why am i talking about boss baby

okay. reputation

why did a baby say gorgeous

HELP i am so disappointed this is the one track with the lyric video and god this is disappointing

i saw this and i was like “oh shit shes gonna talk about how its gonna be gorgeous when u die” or smth and

lol. LOL. the depth is nonexistent and the bar is in hell

who wrote this? you lied

This song is so boring, LOL. I expected so much from it and was instantly disappointed when the pre-chorus hit. You had everything on your plate and you ate the plate itself. Girl. What the hell. Why. You could’ve given us an anthem about hating your man, and you took the easy route.

Getaway Car

im intrigued

okay im listening and this sounds very jack antonoff? the shotgun thing made me immediately go o_o

it felt a bit weak at the end but at the start i was enjoying it quite a lot… i think this is my fave

I enjoyed this one quite a lot :) It was pretty good but not an amazing masterpiece. It was better than LWTMMD and that’s all I have to say.

King Of My Heart

sounds boring haha

taylor keeps putting these trap beats in things sister youre not lorde LOL

yeah this is kinda boring

WAIT A MINUTE NEW YEARS DAY IS THE LAST TRACK???? IM GONNA HAVE TO STICK UNTIL THE END oh my god please no

i dont. i .. i knew this would be happening but i didnt expect it to be the last one

i guess the timing is accurate ha ha ha ha

i just heard ariana grande

I keep hearing Ariana Grande on this track. Is that good? I don’t know.

Dancing With Our Hands Tied

why are there so many songs in this fucking album

the beat is.. okay. it is catchy

oh i like this i think. its pretty nice

the chorus is nice. yes. i do kind of enjoy this

Yeah, I liked this one. Pretty good writing, and it sounds great.

Dress

wtf is this song why is it so horny

horny taylor is weird stop being horny please

this song is okay i would not revisit it because its just weird. do not like this!!!

when carly rae jepsen says slide on through my window it is funny but when taylor sings i bought this dress so you could take it off i die

oh that second of silence was really good

[looks at the producer] [it’s jack antonoff] :)

This song weirds me out. I don’t like it. It had its moments production-wise but it was... weird.

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

I expect good things from this. With a title like that? Give me a bop.

Currently not being a bop.

Okay, it was cute. Nothing amazing. Just… fine. Cute attempt.

oh i liked the spoken part thats what i expected from this song

Call It What You Want

this is about genitalia this is my prediction

It was not about genitalia.

This song is pretty good if you remove all the mentions to her lover and her man and her baby, which are all the same person, I guess.

This is disappointing.

JACK ANTONOFF BACKING VOCALS

I LOVE YOU JACK

umm anyways

OH HE DID IT AGAIN IM GONNA CRY i love this man

I expected so much from this track and the chorus just… disappointed me.

JACK!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! KEEP SINGING!!!!!

i love this man im gonna cry

The highlight of this song is the part where Jack Antonoff sings.

New Year’s Day

wow the reason why im doing this shit

look at him. :)

this song was cute. nothing special. just cute. very okay.

just. okay. yeah. pretty fine.

nothing special.

Final Thoughts On The Album

It was better than Lover.

I expected this to be a concept album, all about the drama she’s gotten into? But it was just boring love songs with some extra flair. I expected great things from this album, having only heard LWYMMD from it before this. A concept album that’s just an answer/clapback to everyone’s who wronged her à la Yellow Flicker Beat (I know it’s for a movie but that song slaps and I don’t know a thing about Hunger Games) would’ve been PERFECT but it was just... love songs. I need Taylor to stop singing about love and start serving us big meals.

I would not like to revisit this. Like, 5/10. It could’ve been a lot better, but it wasn’t because you’re too afraid to cross some lines, Taylor.

Final Ranking:

Dancing With Our Hands Tied

Getaway Car

Look What You Made Me Do

I Did Something Bad

Don’t Blame Me

New Year’s Day

Call It What You Want

...Ready For It?

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

So It Goes...

End Game (feat. Ed Sheeran, Future)

Dress

Delicate

King Of My Heart

Gorgeous

taylor flop stream gone now

#taylor swift #liveblog #liveblogging #reputation #swifties dont kill me thanks #i dont like taylor swift why did i do this #music

1 note · View note

camillemontespan · 4 years

Note

Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway - Raleigh x Marina

Thanks for the prompt @emichelle

Prompt appears in bold!

Warnings: Mention of drug use.

A/N: This kind of swings away from my head canon. Marina is still very troubled but Raleigh hasn’t left her. In this, he remains by her side, watching as she goes down a bad road and trying his best to help.

I have no idea who else likes Raleigh. Where are all the Raleigh fans?!

@ibldw-main @simplymissjulia @katedrakeohd @omgjasminesimone @moonlightgem7****************************************************

Raleigh saw Fiona before she saw him.

She was pacing frantically back and forth outside Marina’s dressing room, talking into her radio and speaking in low tones. As Raleigh approached her, he could hear her speaking down her radio: ‘No, she won’t come out,’ ‘she yelled at me,’ ‘I have tried everything.’

She stopped talking when she clocked Raleigh. Raleigh raised an eyebrow.

‘What’s happened?’ he asked.

‘None of your business-’

‘Fiona,’ Raleigh interrupted. ‘Fucking tell me.’

Raleigh and Marina’s publicist, Fiona, had a difficult relationship. Fiona didn’t trust Raleigh with Marina; Raleigh didn’t trust Fiona with Marina either. They both had different ideas of how to look after the music scene’s rising star but both had different reasons.

For Fiona, it was all for financial gain and professional recognition.

For Raleigh, he was in love.

That was that.

Fiona rolled her eyes. ‘Marina finished her show and now she’s locked herself inside her dressing room, refusing to come out. I don’t know how to handle her.’

Raleigh closed his eyes. Of course Fiona didn’t know how to handle her. Fiona had zero experience in dealing with drug addicts.

‘Let me deal,’ Raleigh said shortly.

‘No-’

‘I don’t think you can really argue with me considering Marina won’t let you through the fucking door,’ Raleigh cut in, his voice sharp as a razor edge. ‘I can handle this. Give me thirty minutes alone with her.’

Fiona threw her hands up in exasperation. ‘Fine, I give up. Continue to lead her down your path, she will happily follow you. Fucking asshole.’

‘You’re the fucking asshole,’ Raleigh replied.

Shoving past her, he knocked on the dressing room door. ‘Mari?’ he called. ‘It’s me, Raleigh. Are you okay, hun?’

‘Of course she isn’t okay,’ Fiona hissed. ‘Jesus Christ..’

Raleigh ignored her. He ignored Fiona a lot.

‘I promise, it’s just me. I just wanna see you. We could relax?’

The door handle unlocked. Raleigh found himself looking into Marina’s eyes; she was hiding herself behind the door. ‘It’s just you?’ she croaked.

‘Yeah,’ Raleigh whispered. ‘Just me. Nobody else.’

Fiona sighed and stormed off. Raleigh smiled weakly at Marina. ‘Do you wanna let me in?’

Marina considered this for a moment before opening the door, letting Raleigh inside.

*****************************

The dressing room was a mess. Various clothes were strewn around the room; a sequin jacket hung haphazardly across a chair; high heels lay abandoned; silk dresses were flung over the mirrors. As Raleigh looked around at his surroundings, he took in the half drunk bottle of vodka that stood on the dressing table. He had a feeling Marina had ingested more than just vodka.

‘What have you taken?’

The question hung heavy over them. Marina looked down at the floor, her entire body shaking. Her make up was streaked and her eyeliner had run from crying; she was a mess. A beautiful, chaotic mess.

‘Nothing,’ she whispered.

‘Marina..’

She sniffled. ‘I found some pills in my bag..’

Raleigh closed his eyes. ‘Are they still in your system?’

‘No,’ Marina said quickly, her eyes widening. ‘I threw them up.’

He had to check the bathroom to see if he could believe her. Sure enough, he could see that Marina had vomited up the pills she had swallowed down, chased down by vodka.

He turned to face her. She looked so fragile. Her dark hair was loose down her back, tangled and messy. She had changed from her stage costume to a simple white shirt but nothing else.

‘Let’s get you fixed up,’ Raleigh muttered.

Every week this happened. Every week, the same song and dance. But Raleigh persisted; he remained by her side, regardless. He ignored those who called her a wreck. He ignored those who called her crazy.

Raleigh had been here before. He had been this person. He had known what it was like to perform his heart out to a crowd of thousands before sloping back to his dressing room to drown himself in alcohol and pills.

So when people were quick to cut Marina down, Raleigh was quick to rush to her defence.

He gestured for Marina to sit down, facing the dressing table mirror. He sat behind her and gently ran his fingers through her tangled hair.

‘You’ve got such gorgeous hair..’ he whispered.

Marina cast her eyes down. ‘I don’t..’

‘You do,’ he said. ‘All of you is gorgeous.’

He reached out to pick up her hairbrush. Gently, he separated her hair into four sections as it was so thick and he started to run the hairbrush through the first section. Marina’s eyes had welled up with tears. While most of her entourage would have rushed to make her feel better, Raleigh was different. He let the tears fall. He let her feel her pain. He knew that crying was Marina helping herself to feel better.

‘Talk to me,’ he murmured, combing a knot that was nestled near the nape of her neck.

‘I can’t,’ Marina croaked, the tears spilling down her cheeks. ‘You wouldn’t look at me the same way. You would look at me like everyone else does. I’m not the person you like to think I am, Raleigh. I’m plastic. Nothing about me is real. I’ve done shit things and I’ve done really shit things to myself, and I’d hate to tell you what I've done because you are the only one who really gets me. I can’t.. I can’t lose you.’

Raleigh closed his eyes. ‘Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway,’ he said in a low voice.

Marina’s breath hitched. She reached out to take his hand and squeezed it tight, holding on for dear life. Raleigh wrapped his arms around her so his chin nestled into the crook of her neck. Their eyes met in the mirror reflection.

‘You’re the only person who loves me. The only person who listens to me,’ she whispered. ‘Nobody else does.’

‘Then they don’t see how amazing you are,’ Raleigh replied, stroking her jaw with his finger. ‘Mari.. talk to me.’

‘I feel like I’ve sold out,’ Marina croaked. ‘Here I am, performing to thousands of people but I’m not myself. I don’t play guitar anymore, instead I dance these complicated routines and rely on autotune. I lie to my fans who tell me how much they adore my music and I tell them I love it too. But I feel like a fraud. If I can’t even rely on my voice anymore, then who am I?’

As she spoke, Raleigh brushed her hair. He brushed the strands gently, making sure not to tug or pull.

‘I’m treated like fine china,’ she continued. ‘I have people do everything for me and I hate it. I want to go to McDonalds but instead, my assistant goes for me. I screamed at her yesterday because she was so insistent on me staying in the car. Then Fiona told me that I wasn’t allowed burgers because it would mess with my figure, so I screamed at her too.. I scream at people now, Raleigh.. I feel like I’m this.. Doll. I’m kept in this glass case, unable to leave. I feel suffocated.’

She was choking on her words now. Raleigh ran his free hand down her arm, trying his best to soothe her. When Marina gathered herself, Raleigh continued to brush her hair, smoothing down the tangles so it fell loose and clean down her back.

'I take pills so I can sleep without having nightmares,' she said, her voice spilling out of her. 'I take coke when I need a pick me up. I stole someone's song lyrics because I was out of ideas..'

Raleigh kept his expression neutral as he listened to Marina bare her soul. He continued to brush her hair, gently, gently.

'I've made some stupid choices..' Marina croaked. 'Late night ‘meetings’ with industry execs so they would plug my new album.. All because I wanted to keep being the best. I wanted to stay on top. But it's all for nothing.'

She let out a strangled sob and covered her eyes with her hands.

'I feel so alone!' she cried. Her shoulders heaved as she cried. Raleigh set down the hairbrush and rested his hands on her shoulders.

'You're not alone,' he told her fiercely. 'You've got me. You have always got me.'

Marina shook her head. 'Fiona won't even let you see me!' she burst out. 'She says you're a bad influence but Raleigh.. I'm the bad influence. I'm the one who should be warned about.'

'Mari, I'm not perfect,' Raleigh said. 'I'm a dick. I'm a bad influence. Trust me, I know. But you're not. You're just a little lost right now but it's alright, we're going to get you back on track. I promise.'

Marina sniffed. She turned to look over her shoulder at Raleigh who gave her a warm smile.

'How are you going to do that?' she asked quietly.

Raleigh leaned close to press a kiss on her cheekbone, brushing his lips down to her mouth.

'By being there for you when nobody else will,' he said, his voice steady. 'LA is a cess pit and the music industry is full of fucking vultures. But I've been through hell and back and I'm not gonna let you fall. You've got me. You have always got me.'

Marina whimpered, making Raleigh's heart tug. He pulled her in gently to give her a hug. 'I've got you,' he murmured. 'I've got you, baby.'

She shuddered. She pulled away and her brown eyes locked on his. ‘Do you still love me?’ she asked, her voice thick.

Raleigh ran his hands through her smooth hair, his eyes flickering over her face as he took in every beautiful detail of her features.

‘I still love you,’ he murmured.

11 notes · View notes

saltnhalo · 5 years

Note

If you're still doing the one word prompts- "celebrity"

Castiel has met his fair share of talented artists, but he’s never met one quite like Dean Winchester.

When he first walks into work on Monday morning, he knows he’s recording for a D. Winchester, and from the way the other techs whisper about him in the staff room, it’s kind of a big deal. Not that means much to Castiel—for someone who works for one of the biggest recording studios in the country, he doesn’t really keep up to date with the ‘popular music.’ He does his job, records whoever walks into his booth and makes them sound good, then goes home and puts his Spotify on shuffle. He’s got an eclectic and varied taste in music, that’s for sure.

He’s never heard of Winchester, though, apart from maybe passing mentions on television, so he doesn’t quite understand the jealous looks some of the other sound engineers are shooting him as he leaves his bag by his desk and quickly checks his emails before heading over to the studio where he’ll be working for the day. It doesn’t matter much to him, though—it’s just part of the job.

It doesn’t take him long to go through the administrative part of his day, and then he’s free to disappear off to his booth to set things up for the day ahead. Castiel always likes to make sure that the control and live rooms are both neat and properly organized for what he needs to record, and today is all vocals. He’s still tinkering with his console when there’s a knock on the door outside.

When he opens it, it’s to six feet of leather-jacket-wearing beauty, and he was not expecting D. Winchester to look like this. Freckles, softly gelled hair, a crooked half-smile that’s confident and self-deprecating all at once, and green eyes the likes of which Castiel has never seen in real life.

“Hello,” he says without thinking, his brain still processing the fact that Winchester is one of the most handsome men he’s ever seen.

“Hey,” is the response he gets, and those lips curl up into a proper smile now. “You’re Novak, right? Uh… Cas-tee-el? You’re the one I’m recording with today, I’ve been told.”

“Just call me Cas.” The correction is more a habit than anything—his full name had sounded wonderful in Winchester’s deep drawl. “That’s me, yes.”

Winchester holds out his hand to shake. “I’m Dean,” he says. “Looking forward to working with you today, buddy.”

Castiel takes his hand and shakes it, then invites him into the studio, trying his best not to make a fool of himself. He’s probably got no talent, he reminds himself. Just a pretty face with a good manager and a voice half-passable with some autotune. That helps him feel a little less starstruck by the gorgeous man who gets himself settled on the stool in the live booth and smiles at Cas through the glass while he gets his headphones situated.

“What are we starting with?” he asks through the comms as he gets himself fully set up, leaning forward over his desk to look at the list of songs that had been emailed to him.

Dean hums thoughtfully, then says, “I think we’ll start with Way Down We Go,” and if hearing Dean’s voice normally had made Castiel’s heart beat double-time, then hearing him through his headphones, as though he’s inside Cas’s head, is so much more intense.

Maybe he’s made the wrong assessment about Dean’s vocal capability.

Before he gets much more of a chance to second-guess himself, he pulls up the backing track for that song—all the instrumentals had been recorded a few days ago, and now it’s just Castiel and Dean putting together the last few pieces. “Let me know when you’re ready,” he says, and Dean rolls his neck, gets comfortable, then shoots Castiel a grin and two thumbs up from his position by the microphone.

The first notes play through Castiel’s headphones, and he’d known that the vocals started pretty early into the song, but when Dean opens his mouth and starts singing, Castiel completely forgets that he’s supposed to be doing his job right now.

Dean’s voice is deep and rich and beautiful, flowing like molasses along with the tempo of the song. The moments of distortion are exceptionally timed, his falsetto a perfect crest before he falls back into the melody, and by the time he’s belting out the chorus, head tipped back and eyes closed like he’s in the middle of a religious experience, Castiel is lost.

It’s all he can do just to listen, his attention absolutely captivated by this beautiful, impossibly talented man. In the moments when he’s no singing, he’s moving along to the riffs of the guitar or miming the notes themselves in the air, letting the music take over him and crooning against the microphone when he needs to.

Baby, oo-ooh… way down we go.

All of Castiel’s assumptions about this man had been so wrong.

By the time the song finishes, Castiel has been sitting with his mouth open for three and a half minutes with no work to show for it. The last notes of the song fade, and then Dean opens his eyes, made vulnerable and raw by the music. His smile is fragile, as though that rendition could have been anything less than perfect, as though Castiel could possibly find any room for improvement. Cas has recorded a lot of artists, but none of them had managed to floor him quite as thoroughly as what he’d just witnessed.

“Was that okay?” Dean asks, reaching up to adjust one of his headphones and watching Cas through the glass. Now that he knows what Dean is capable of, just how much talent he possesses, he finds him even more beautiful. Good god, his colleagues had been right to be jealous.

Castiel clears his throat, composes himself for a second, then presses his comms button and says, “Holy shit.”

#originalobjecttheorist #dean winchester #castiel #destiel #profoundnet #this prompt is from November I'm so sorry #sound tech cas #sound engineer cas #singer dean #celebrity dean #emma's writing #fic #spn #deancas

435 notes · View notes

interesting-blog-name · 4 years

Text

SLIGHTLY NEW ALBUMS I LIKED (Little Simz - GREY Area; Monsune - Tradition; Backxwash - God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It)

More loose reviews that I write and instantly want to get out of my Word document and into Tumblr without much of an overlaying theme between the albums or any planning as to which ones I’ll be releasing at which point, but it is what it is. This time I’ll be compiling some recent-ish albums I’ve enjoyed, two of which I’ve come to know from TheNeedleDrop (I try not to watch reviews before writing down my opinion btw), and one EP from an artist I like. Here it is.

Little Simz – GREY Area

Little Simz, the 26-year-old British rapper, is an artist I’ve loved the first time I heard her, when I listened to Selfish for the first time and saw her cover of Feel Good Inc. in triple-j’s Like A Version. Today, May 30th, I was planning on listening to White Chalk by PJ Harvey, but from what I read, it’s a pretty depressing album, and I’m not in the mood for that right now, so I picked GREY Area from my future listening list.

It’s really nice to hear a rap album like this once in a while. The instrumentation is organic and well thought out, her flow is amazing, and her lyrics have so much substance and personality to them, ranging from the happier, more reminiscent tone in 101 FM to the much more aggressive tracks Offence, Boss, Venom and Pressure, she’s always giving her take on life, telling the experience of what it’s like being a black person with big dreams in England, seeing friends die while she tries to go somewhere in life through music.

The main tone she picks for her self-narrative is an unapologetic view of the world around her; she tells the listener: “’til now I ain’t ever been the selfish type, ‘till now I ain’t ever told nobody no, don’t get it twisted. This shit ain’t happen overnight” in the biggest song off here, Selfish, featuring the most calming and lavish pianos and violins in this album, and an amazing feature by Cleo Sol on the hook. Pressure features an amazing batch of verses all about. Same thing with the intro, Offence, with its bold, empowering chorus; although the track comes off more playful with its cartoonish sound effects nearing the end than the raw message of the track mentioned previously. A great, high-spirited track to start off the album.

What isn’t as high-spirited is the next track, Boss, or, to be fair, almost all the other tracks in the album. Boss is a big fuck you to anyone you might dedicate the song to: the hook has Simz’s most aggressive delivery in the whole record, and the entire message is about getting over those who hurt you and coming up. The second verse is something else.

Wounds, featuring Jamaican singer Chronixx, deals mostly with the gun/crime problem ever-so-present in marginalized communities all around the world, and she tells the story from the perspective of both herself and as a companion of the “gun man”, repeatedly mentioned in the song (“When a gun man only knows self-hate, them bullets show no love”). I’m not super crazy for Chronixx’s hook, or the much slower tempo of the track, but it fits well with the groovy instrumental. Venom, on the other hand, is a super exciting, menacing song. She goes all out over the violins playing in the background, but unfortunately, the track burns twice as bright to last half as long.

To lighten the mood a bit, 101 FM brings the most electronic instrumental, with cheerful, banging 808s and synths, and lyrics about her come up as a rapper, probably the verses where her British accent and slang dominate the most, giving them a more personal feel somewhat. Pressure doesn’t feature the most compelling instrumental or hooks in here – the Little Dragon refrain is mixed very poorly and the vocalist just doesn’t do a great job -, but the verses compensate for that, especially the first one, probably one of the most heartfelt and important ones in this album. Therapy talks about Simz’s struggles with finding comfort in therapy. The instrumental is average for the project, but still slaps, so that’s nice.

Sherbet Sunset is an ode to a broken relationship, and a theme that could be handled so poorly by other artists is handled masterfully by Little Simz. In three verses, she displays so many sides to what I assume is one relationship, so many emotions and thoughts that she shares, it really feels like she’s transcribing something of a focused, bright mind rush over the track, and it amazes me how she can reveal her feelings so well on a track like this, progressing from the regret of not seeing how it’d go wrong, to the anxiety that comes from spending all that time for seemingly nothing, to coming to terms with it in the last verse (although not quite). It’s a stunning song now that I listen to it again.

To close it all off, we have Flowers, mainly a tribute to various artists from the 27 club, with mentions of Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse in the verses, trying to relate to their struggles with drug addiction and quick fame. It’s incredibly powerful and a great finisher.

I don’t dislike one track in GREY Area. It’s well conceived, a great statement, it really feels like she gives her all to make every track memorable, and even though her delivery is mostly monotone throughout the whole album, that also works to her favor, as she has a very unique and recognizable voice. So the lyrics are extremely well written, and the only reason I don’t give more examples of that is because I got a whole lot of school shit to do, the instrumental work is clean and precise, and I don’t have a whole lot to complain about. Check this shit out if you haven’t.

FAVORITE TRACKS: 101 FM, Venom, Selfish, Offence, Boss, Pressure

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: lol nah

8.7/10

“Why you wanna all dress lies as truth? Have you ever seen what silence do? I don’t wanna see no violent troops putting out fires that haven’t been started”

Monsune – Tradition

Damn I did not expect to like this as much as I did.

Monsune is a Chinese-Canadian singer who has recently been gaining some popularity from his amazing song OUTTA MY MIND, which features a funky bassline and high-pitched guitar playing that some have compared to Childish Gambino, specifically his album “Awaken, My Love!”. I decided to check out this short EP by him to see if he had anything more to offer, and it’s safe to say, he does.

The first track off Tradition already shows what this guy can do with his production. It starts off with the same vibe off of his previously mentioned biggest track, but on steroids: a prominent bassline, pitch-altered backing vocals, sunny guitars, and drowned out drums. His voice is also reaching higher notes in this song than in OUTTA MY MIND, but then in the middle of the song it all slows down for a very welcome beat change that shifts the song from this summer anthem to a very chill R&B tune. It’s amazing stuff, although I don’t understand why he chose to put some very noticeable autotune in this part.

CLOUD is my least favorite from the EP, but it’s still a very solid song, it’s just not amazing. The bass is still very strong, and the bridge later on in the song is addictive as shit. After that track comes OUTTA MY MIND, and then his style completely switches in MOUNTAIN, which starts off with some solo guitar and his low, beautiful singing. It’s actually really moving for some reason lol. It then picks up in the hook, the drums kick in along with what I assume is a keyboard, and his voice reaches the top of his range for the backing vocals, it’s a very well-made song.

JADE finishes Tradition off extremely beautifully, with a smooth acoustic guitar intro over a nice-ass bass, some ethereal, trippy scenes of Monsune floating over the ocean and appearing out of thin air in front of you (probably not you, the listener). And then all of a sudden this madman screams off the top of his lungs in the middle of the track and I fucking love it.

The flaws this EP has are mostly related to the mixing, which I think can be a little too harsh in some sections such as the big breakdowns in JADE and MOUNTAIN. Plus, I know lyrics aren’t a focus on a project like this, but it would be nice to get something more than love songs in the future perhaps. Still, loving this EP, so glad I checked Monsune out. You should too.

WORST TO BEST: CLOUDS, 1998, JADE, OUTTA MY MIND, MOUNTAIN

8/10

“Don’t you wanna come down? Cause I’m so bored of walking on the same old sky”

Backxwash – God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It

God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It is an album by American rapper Backxwash, who received a new wave of attention after Anthony Fantano reviewed this album in his channel and gave it a decent 8. I haven’t watched the review yet, but I was interested in checking it out because of the high score, and especially since when I looked it up on Spotify, the songs only had around 8000 views.

Dark subject themes and the whole dark trap aesthetic are the core of this album. I, personally, have always been a fan of aggressive, heavy rap music, from more underground names like gizmo and Fukkit, to the more mainstream variant of these sounds, like XXXTENTACION. This album, however, operates in somewhat of a separate lane.

Many of the dark, edgy rap I used to listen to religiously back in the day was borderline mindless. Shit about ripping someone open, hollow flexing, except separated from mainstream rap only because the rapper in question is screaming their brains out when talking about designer clothes, instead of mumbling like your average Lil Baby, and, of course, personal problems, depression, being mad about whatever it was. Unlike its other contemporaries, however, it seems Backxwash has much more thought and elaboration into what she wants to yell about. Instead of hiding behind bass-boosted rather formulaic instrumentals, she takes the more scenic route, with still very dark, but more intricate gothic beats, sampling various religious speeches and implementing them into songs about black magic and overall unhappiness. The Black Sabbath sample that opens up this album should be enough for any listener to immediately understand what they’re about to get into, as the title track brings heavy percussion and some of the most graphic lyrics in the album, which it already doesn’t lack. Lines about downing pills and vodka, contemplating suicide, and blank vocalizations of anger (“I want war with these bitches, I want corpses and weapons”).

The track that resembles an average edgy Soundcloud rap song the most is Black Magic right after, with its own interpretation of the “ay” flow, shouted with a tone reminiscent of someone like Craig Xen. The big difference comes with the much grander production, especially the growling guitars that get introduced halfway, reminding the listener of Backxwash’s skill as a producer. From what I could tell, she was responsible for the production of the tracks in here, and considering there are no vocal guests except for Malldate’s quick appearance in Into The Void, I’m assuming the features listed in the tracklist are all producer credits as well, the feature in this track being Ada Rook, providing the amazing guitar work for this song.

Spells is mixed for me. I don’t enjoy the attempted singing in the chorus, and it falls completely flat to my ears; the beat is hard as ever, but the lyrics feel slightly disconnected with each other. At one point, she’s talking about going to Hell to her mom, at the other she mentions doors opening and closing in an office and how there’s no one in some corridor, and it doesn’t go anywhere from that, with lines such as “heart is so dead with tissue” not exactly evoking any sort of emotion or imagery.

Black Sheep is the most effective song out of the first four; it seems to filter all the positive aspects of the other tracks and package them into one quick serving. The beat is chaotic and in a constant state of unrest, the lyrics are centered and aimed at various of Backxwash’s problems in life, such as her father, people who want to bring her down and put her “in line on the X and O’s”, and overall venting. After that comes a brief interlude, the first of two that don’t have much use in the album except as pallet cleansers. It’s followed by Into The Void, a track that mentions her paranoia of being harassed and possibly killed when walking around in the streets and the deli. It’s haunting, and definitely the best song in here; it is laser-focused in the exact way I wished the previous tracks would be. Her vocal delivery is extremely expressive, and she tells the story in a way that gives the listener a brief, but at the same time immense glimpse of the reality that trans people face and have to go through, in a morbid fashion.

Adolescence is very short and eases the pace a bit after the intense emotions of the last. It’s a message to her younger brother that quickly descents into a confession of her inner struggle, mentioning possible overdoses and being too old for the 27 Club and fearing going to therapy. What’s great about this song is the fact that, even in such a short amount of time and with a less explosive instrumental, Backxwash manages to evoke her emotions so well; this is definitely what she does best in this record, and it overcomes the times where her delivery is flawed and her words are slurred and hard to understand. After this comes Amen, and holy fuck is this an angry song. Criticizing the hell out of the church, Backxwash comes at greedy pastors and their irresponsible spending when the churchgoers who support him are in need. My big problem with this song is the fact that the hook, as impassionate as it is, doesn’t do much for the subject, and the verse is way too short to have any impact with its theme. Lines like “these politicians politicking” don’t help much either.

The very distorted second interlude, Heaven’s Interlude, takes us to the last track, Redemption, the least intense song in here, which is appropriate as a sendoff. She expresses her frustrations towards her dad’s frustrations towards her being trans, and while the entire sentiment of the song is great and well formulated, I can’t find a way around the lines “Fuck these fucking boomers, fuck these fucking losers. Fuck theses motherfucking fuckers in their fucking two truck. Fuck these fuck(sic)abusers, and fuck these fucking rumors.”, they just emanate Limp Bizkit energy.

God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It is a very passionate, real, well produced and well-conceived album; it bears themes that are immensely important to be brought to the music scene, and by mixing that message with its explosive and polished production, it amplifies it a ton. However, as powerful as her deliveries are, I believe Backxwash can go much further with her songwriting and song structuring in the future, as well as her intonation, because that was really all that was keeping this album from being legendary. If she can do more of this in songs that are longer and super focused around whichever topic she decides, she can make something legendary. And thank God she got reviewed by Fantano, I hope she can take this opportunity and make something huge out of this.

FAVORITE TRACKS: Into The Void, Black Sheep, God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It, Adolescence, Black Magic

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: Spells

7.7/10

“Chosen one, sad bitch, lowest scum. Coldest, huh, black sheep talk to ‘em. If the situation changed I would have said the same shit, exactly the same.”

#little simz #grey area #monsune #tradition #backxwash #god has nothing to do with this leave him out of it #album #review #albume review #ep #ep review #rap #uk rap #dark rap #indie pop

3 notes · View notes

reading-hub · 5 years

Text

Dandy And The Jet 🚀 [3] To Boobies, Baby!

- Space Dandy x reader -

[part 2]

- - - - -

The digital transmission hidden underneath your jacket that was made by Bea so it was easy to update on the mission with Admiral Perry. You were explaining the events that were leading up to today, from that one-sided crazy bar fight, being able to escape said bar fight, having the opportunity to escape with Dandy's crew inside the "Aloha Oe" to now.

“So, you’ve already made your way to his inner circle?”

You hid within the hallways, luckily nobody hadn't woken up yet. Although that little wheeled robot named QT had this obsession with cleaning early, so your not exactly in the clearing yet...

"Yes, I have. His crew was surprisingly welcoming despite them being alien hunters.." You responded, remembering your last experience with some alien hunters in the past...

"I don't care about them! What about the target, how's is he taking in your presence? Has he suspected anything about you since your arrival?" Admiral was obviously cautious about you being found out in a short time. You rolled your eyes slightly.

You sighed and answered. "Well, he was questioning my position when I took the wheel, but nothing really about me.” Admiral sighed in relief, guess that's good news?

"Very well, just keep pursuing on the target at all times, don't let him slip through your fingers. We're so close yet so far." The burning skeleton commanded. "I will, sir." You agreed, transmission ended.

"Hello miss [f/n]!" You jumped slightly, turning around to see the little robot QT and his broom. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry! Did I startle you?" QT said in a worried tone. The robot really was the sweetest.

"Don't worry, er, I was just looking around the ship..." You smiled looking at the inter-galactic gears and such.

Now that I mentioned it, this ship is pretty huge, this must've cost a fortune, maybe Dandy is a successful alien hunter after all if he was able to afford such a ship and all...

You shrugged it off and looked at QT. "So uh, you clean up around the ship when everybody's asleep?" You asked, continuing the conversation with the little robot.

"I clean up anyway, even if everyone's awake or not." Saying in their autotuned voice, which is a bit adorable. "I really like cleaning," QT said simply.

"That's one hell of a favorite thing to do. I rarely ever hear someone say that sentence, ever." You chuckled a little. "So anyway, what exactly is the schedule around here?" You asked, changing the subject.

"Schedule?" QT said confused. "Oooh!" The male robots autotune sang in harmony. "To be quite honest, there really isn't one." They shrugged, your eyes quirked a little in surprise and confusion. "The only real mundane place that Dandy likes to go to most of the time is a place called Boobies," QT answered.

"Boobies?" Your whole facade went full-on confusion with what the innocent robot said so casually. "Yeah, it's this restaurant that Dandy really likes going to a lot but the paycheck is more than what we normally have so its tough for Dandy to accept when we don't have enough to go." The robot explained.

Huffing a little in response, "Judging by the name of this restaurant, I can tell why Dandy would like going there." Both QT and You laughed right after.

"Geez, you giggling pre-teens woke me up." Looks like your quality conversation with QT is over thanks to a grumpy pompadour. Speaking of pompadour, Dandy was hiding his hair using his blanket that he dragged along the floor without a care.

"Now if you excuse me, girlies, I gotta take a shower. This hair ain't gonna fix itself!" Dandy boasted proudly as if you were gonna swoon over him right when he gets out.

"We should probably check and see if Meow is awake, though I highly doubt it," QT grumbled as we walked to the main room of the ship. "How long does it usually take for everyone to be awake by?" You asked jokingly. "I'd say around 02:00 in standard time," QT answered quickly, looking at his watch that miraculously appears out of nowhere!

"It's nine-forty." You questioned immediately. “How long does it take for Dandy to finish up in there?" The robot rolled his screen eyes thinking of Dandy's precious timing.

"I'd say two hours, one if today's a lucky day." QT hoped.

"Dang." Was all you could say to that. The guys that you use to know hated when a woman took too long getting ready and didn't really care for their hair products. Needless to say, this Dandy guy was something else and nobody you’ve met before.

After talking with QT for two hours or so, you both sat at the dining table, if you call it that. You can easily tell by the crew that they didn't seem the type to eat breakfast together in a table.

QT was nice enough to make you a single cup of coffee. Luckily he was able to find some coffee beans after looking up and down in the cabinets. Wasn't a lot but you could manage either way. You wondered if he was able to have any human-like food?

You both shared a few things, like past stories. QT shared a lot about the past adventures him and Dandy have been through. A booby monster, plant people, and said something about zombies but I kinda lost track since all them were just bat-shit crazy all on their own.

You on the other hand only shared ones that were pretty tame when compared to theirs. Warning the robot that your adventures aren't really exciting to tell compared to what they told.

QT seemed interested with what you told him anyway, but you also didn’t want to overshare too much.

"What are you guys talking about?" The yawning came from Meow who was shuffling his feet, he must be still tired even though he's slept longer than the rest of us combined.

"[F/n] has been telling me about her adventures.” The robot said with glee, you couldn't help but smile in embarrassment when QT showed some exciting interest in your stories. "Whoa really?" Meow was obviously interested. All you could do was shrug in embarrassment.

It has been a while since people actually listen to what I had to say...

Meow just asked upon millions of questions each time you telling more and more details of the time you able to hold your own against the likes of humanoid monsters and crazy ex’s throughout the galaxy.

"Does that mean you know some close combat?" QT asked politely. "Yeah, and a bit of gun firing as well," You replied.

"So are you like some kind of superhero?" Meow smiled and pulled out his phone. “I'm not even close to a superhero."

True, you really weren’t . You were basically the big, bad, villain's accomplice, you know the ones where they trick the good guys into thinking that she's one of them now and then double-crosses them saying how "I am not who you think I am!" And then they laugh evilly.

The sad truth is that I don't think I can laugh evil.

"Is Dandy out of the shower yet? I really need to use the restroom." You said, obviously frustrated. QT grumbled, "Eh, probably putting his hair gel right about now..." You didn’t care, You just stood up and just tell Dandy to step out real quick so that you can go!

Storming off back to the hallway where you had that transmission call with Admiral and then that talk to QT later on.

Stopping your tracks, you noticed that the bathroom door had a small crack open. You could only guess Dandy got out and is probably changing back in his room? You hoped, otherwise he's gonna think you’re peeping on him, which he'll probably find flattering, you however were not intending on that.

Slowly walking towards the steamthat was seeping through the cracked door, Lights full white, You were hoping he forgot to turn off when he left...shit!

Peering through and - goddammit! - he's there! Oh well, at least he has a towel on, even if that towel is low cut and will probably fall off easily...fuck!

He was drying up his hair with another towel. The towel was off from his head, and you got a clear view of his shaggy natural hair!

Your eyes went full surprised. He really wasn't that bad looking without the hair gel, You certainly didn’t understand why he has to hide it...

Oh well.

You felt as though you were peeping a little too long.. you just booked it outta there! Maybe you should hold your bladder until he actually leaves the bathroom next time...

Sprinting back to the lounge, you know what you’ll just call it that since you refuse to call it a "dining room" or a "kitchen".

Meow and QT were still hanging around where you last talked to them. "That was quick," Meow said in surprise. You took a few breaths and replied, "Yeah, turns out I didn't really need to go." You said in relief.

A few minutes later, a wild Dandy appears behind you! "You're finally out of the shower?" You said in a bored tone. "You know if you wanted to take a shower with me, you could've asked?" He suggested slyly. Sadly, he had his pompadour back, kinda wishing to see his hair down. QT decided to change the subject.

"Nevermind that, where are we going, Dandy?"

Dandy's attention was at the robot. "To boobies, baby!" He boasted proudly. "Boobies, you mean that ‘breastaurant’ that QT was telling me about?" I jumped in with air quotes.

Dandy's face freaked a little. "QT, YOU TOLD HER ABOUT BOOBIES!?"

"Don't pin it on them, since I agreed to be apart of this crew, I was probably gonna find out anyway, no use of hiding it.." You said in defense. "She's got ya there, man.” Meow commented on the sideline.

All Dandy could do was have his lips curl, pouting like a child because you had a point.

"Alright, just don't take the fun out of Boobies for me, ok?" Dandy whined slightly at me. You shrugged it off, "Don't plan on it."

"Hey QT, how much we got for Boobies?" He called out to the robot. "Hm, probably enough. But Dandy, I thought we were going to spend this money for--" QT was cut from his words by Dandy.

"Nevermind that QT, we could always just hunt for a rare alien and get double the money back!"

Something tells me that this is just gonna be one those days...you know, the ones where shit gets fucked and it could've been avoided by just listening and following the obvious from earlier.

Yeah...those...

The four of you have arrived at Boobies. You really didn’t have an expectation of what this breastrant would look like, but seeing it right in front of your very eyes, it hit the nail on head.

You weren’t one to judge. We all have our guilty pleasures in life. Some like eating a bag of chips on a slow day, some like the smell of a certain candle that keeps them at ease, and some like a ditzy waitress who dresses little to the imagination to take their order while also small talk to on a daily basis.

You took a seat between QT and Meow, Dandy sat across from you. Small tension was between you and Dandy for a full two minutes. Dandy obviously not a fan of you being at Boobies with them. You couldn’t care less what he thought about you at that time, you just wanted to eat something, pay half of the check, possibly tip the waitress, and go back to the ship.

Before it can be anymore silent—

“Hey boys, how are we doing today?” You looked up, only to see a young blonde waitress, eyes looked as if full of innocence. She was quite pretty, you admit to yourself. “Oh my, I’m sorry, and how you today, miss?” Her wide eyes immediately directed towards you. Her tone was that of surprise and joy. Possibly because of how rare it is to have female customers here, you guess.

“I’m okay, thank you though.” You replied, smiling faintly at the blonde. “Yeah, we’re good today, too.” Dandy said after, his palm holding his jaw in boredom. The blonde beamed happily. “Dandy, who is she? Is she a new friend of yours?” She egged him on. Obviously curious about who you were. You’d think that this waitress is close friends with Dandy, given how easily she’s able to hold a conversation with him.

“No Honey, me and crew met her yesterday.” He explained, smirking with confidence. “Although an initiation of the Space crew in the talks.” In talks? You could’ve sworn he agreed to you being apart of the crew the first day you two met. You looked at him sideways, just what is he trying to get at?

“An initiation? That must be so fun! When is it??” Honey looked at him with answers. Dandy slumped on the booth, smug as all hell. He’s gonna get punched so bad when we get back to the ship. “Actually, initiation starts today.” He boasted.

“It is?” Honey asked excited.

“It is?” You reiterated sarcastically, wondering where this was going.

“It is.” Dandy conceded.

Before Dandy could be anymore proud of himself of having you put in a tight situation, hook line and sinker...

“Since when did we propose for an initiation for future crew members?” QT popped up with a sudden question out of nowhere. “We didn’t have one for Meow now that I think about it...” the robot added, while Dandy’s eyes widen, nervously.

“It’s a new thing I made up!” Dandy interjected. “I forgot to tell you and Meow about..” he explained, hoping the damn robot keeps thier mouth shut. “Okaaay, what’s the first stage of initiation then?” QT asked after.

Meow looked up from his phone, seeing what was unfolding right in front of him.

Dandy could only grind his teeth, thinking of one on the top of his head and try not to look stupid. Than, a light switched on his head!

“[f/n], our lovely new recruit here has to pay for the check.” Douche. That was all that popped in your head soon after.

Well, I have space skeleton demi-god and a pimp gorilla looking over me like vultures, I’m being labeled as a last resort plan to capturing Dandy, and being apart of his crew is the only shot I can get to getting closer to finishing my mission. No pressure.

Ok Dandy, I’ll play along.

“Well, if it’s what I have to do, than so be it.” You agreed, getting a little too confident.

“Alright!” Dandy rubbed his hands together in anticipation. This was too fun for him.

The food orders were now final.

Dandy made it easier by just having you pay for the ‘Captain’s Meal’, aka Dandy and yourself. Meow just ordered for soup and a soda, QT just wanted some juice. You wondered if the robot could actually consume foods...

Your order was that of a space meat fillet that you thought looked good on the menu and your choice of two sides.

However, Dandy knew he had you by his finger and went all out. Two large chucks of meat, topped with chili, cheese, a ramen bowl, and a slushee that was most likely child size.

He looked as smug and pampered as they came at that moment. The food came in.

Meow’s and QT ‘s came first since their orders were small and simple. Your’s came second. Dandy’s was last, the meal was so huge that Honey needed another waitress to help her bring it to the table.

You rolled your eyes at how Dandy was making a big deal out of this.

Meow and QT were done with thier orders a long time ago. You just finished your own meal. Dandy on the other hand, still had halfway to go. I guess Dandy didn’t think though how big of an order his was compared to everyone else.

“You’re not gonna finish that.” Meow commented as he was scrolling his phone. He pouted his lip in response. “Nope, I’m not gonna give in to the temptation of losing.” Dandy replied, hiding away the worry.

“Losing what? I’m the one paying for your meal.” You said suddenly. “How about we just ask to box it for to-go.” You suggested. You honestly felt a little bad. He looked like a small boy who feels bad for not finishing his dinner. It was honestly kinda cute at this state.

Wait what?

“Fine!” He gave in, crossing his arms in the process. You perked up at the waitress who was walking past your table, and asked if they’re was a to-go box for a meal like Dandy’s.

Honey came in with the check, the total of Dandy’s meal itself was almost 300 yen, your own meal was around 30. Luckily, you secretly tapped Honey’s shoulder and gave the ditzy blonde a coupon for Boobies when Dandy wasn’t looking. You knew holding onto that coupon would benefit you one day.

The crew got their things together before heading out. Dandy begrudgingly holding onto his box that had his meal.

It was already midnight by the time you guys came out of the breastaurant. All of got into ship, one by one. All tired from eating. Seeing how exhausted you looked, Dandy took the liberty of stirring the ship with QT tonight. How nice.

Guess him being nice was just a thank you for putting up with him today at Boobies.

Before you could relax your eyes, Dandy shouted out:

“Whoops, forgot to get gas!” He nervously smiled through his teeth.

“ARGGHHH!!!” You, Meow, and QT loudly responded.

#space dandy x reader #space dandy #hubbywritings

11 notes · View notes

ewanreviewin · 6 years

Text

Song: “Slide” by LPX

In <100 Words: Cheating a bit since this came out the end of last year, but I didn’t listen until the EP. “Slide” almost feels like a MS MR single if you didn’t know that Lizzy was doing her own thing these days, with its powerful drums and – so far at least – fairly clear vocals (on the verses). THEN Lizzy starts to belt about the lack of warning her heart gave regarding heartbreak. THEN she and her band bust into the incredible, dancey chorus. You’ll be screaming along with Lizzy by the end of the bridge.

Fave Lyric: “The sweetest love in life cuts you like a knife, ripping your insides, leaves you paralyzed.”

I Also Recommend: “Tightrope” has been and still is my favorite LPX track so far with the absolute shredding of that guitar. “Red Queen” is my favorite “new” song from the EP.

The EP Overall: It’s quite a banger of an EP and really makes me excited to see what the LPX project has to give in the form of a full-length album.

What This Sound Like: My heartbreak coming to life and screaming at me, with sick guitars playing in the background.

Song: “My My My” by Troye Sivan

In <100 Words: Writing a good love song is actually a super underrated skill. As is creating a great pop song. Troye Sivan, luckily, has the ability to handle both under his belt. “My My My” is so unabashedly happy. Troye sings to his lover to just let go and enjoy the moment of being in love – and in a world where love has so much pressure put on it, why don’t you?! Bring on the album, baby.

Fave Lyric: “Now let’s stop running from love.”

The Video: It’s sexy. It’s pretty. It’s gay. Come on – how can you not love it.

What This Sound Like: Running through a field at night as a rainbow – somehow – appears in the sky.

Song: “Supernatural” by BØRNS

In <100 Words: This is a bit of an underrated song from Blue Madonna. I am obsessed with the multiple drum play going on (I even hear bongos) and the strings in the post-chorus. There’s even a theremin solo in the bridge. Hell. YES. Lyrically, “Supernatural” falls on the second half of the album (right after the interlude actually) where Mr. Born seems to be over the heartbreak and is moving into a more introspective view of his previous relationship. It’s all dreamy and just lovely.

Fave Lyric: “Is it love or am I fooling around trying to find the truth?”

I Also Recommend: “Faded Heart” still holds up quite well, the witty and bright, yet bitter and cold “Second Night of Summer,” the rock-tinged “We Don’t Care,” and the empowering “I Don’t Want U Back.” I’d include the interlude, “Tension,” but it’s ONLY AN INTERLUDE!

The Album Overall: I’m really happy that he went down a route that was less energetic and… polished as Dopamine, even though I really enjoy that record too. It’s a great follow-up, though at the same time I feel like he’s yet to achieve his full potential. I have a feeling that will come with the next record.

What This Sound Like: A montage of going to the mall, but on an alien planet, but everyone’s happy.

Song: “After the Storm” by Kali Uchis (feat. Tyler the Creator & Bootsy Collins)

In <100 Words: Kali expands her resume a little by venturing into the deep funk of “After the Storm.” Tyler name drops his newest record & the Disney deer Bambi in his mellow & very fitting verse. Kali sounds great on the track too – singing very sexy & empowering lyrics as she likely speaks to herself in a mirror. The highlight of the track is easily the production. The bass is excellent & the groove slows down a bit towards the end before picking right back up & leaving you wanting more once the track draws to a close.

Fave Lyric: “So you gotta be careful baby, and look both ways before you cross my mind.”

What This Sound Like: Laying in silk sheets dressed in your softest robe.

Song: “King for a Day” by Anderson East

In <100 Words: This song is quite cheeky and I didn’t realize! The opener for Encore is actually a “let’s-get-it-on” song because I’d rather hook up once than be strung along as an unrequited love for a long time. You would not think that’s what Anderson is singing about when you first listen to “King for a Day.” Tinged with some elevating trumpets in the bridge/end of the song & very traditional guitar/drum pairing, the instrumental of this track is quite infectious.

Fave Lyric: “Even if your heart can’t look away, even if our love can’t stay together, I’d rather be king for a day than a fool forever.”

I Also Recommend: The scandalous & energetic “Girlfriend,” “Surrender” which sounds like that “rollin! rollin!” song, the sweet but also jamming with the guitar “Sorry You’re Sick,” and my favorite mid/lower tempo track “This Too Shall Last.”

The Album Overall: It’s quite good Americana/blue-eyed soul music!

What This Sound Like: Wrangling cattle on the ranch as the sun is high in the sky.

Song: “Kissing Tree” by The Spencer Lee Band

In <100 Words: Whoa, WHERE did this song come from? “Kissing Tree” opens up for a while as just an acoustic guitar and a back and forth from higher pitched vocals to, who I guess is the main singer. The song builds up more and more with a few strings, and then a NASTY bass line once we get to the second verse. Lyrically, it’s probably what you’d expect from a song called “Kissing Tree,” but some lines in particular are quite clever. All the instruments being released from their cages in the bridge – oh yeah, favorite bit.

Fave Lyric: “Shake you like a leaf, break me off a piece, I got everything I need under the kissing tree.”

What This Sound Like: Unsurprisingly, like sitting on a tree & making out with someone.

Song: “Disappear” by Tonight Alive (feat. Lynn Gunn)

In <100 Words: In case you didn’t know, Lynn Gunn is the front woman of the awesome band PVRIS. She doesn’t hijack the “Disappear,” but rather she gives the track a little more fire to make it that highlight from Underworld. The song is liberating, fun, and also a bit detached.

Fave Lyric: “Why does it feel like home when I’m lonely?”

I Also Recommend: “Last Light” is one of the softer moments on the record that’s really needed. “Burning On” is another fun, upbeat banger, and the punk rock “Temple.”

The Album Overall: Jenna’s vocals are awesome on this record, but I can’t help but feel the sounds of the album have kinda been done before.

What This Sound Like: Getting out of your comfort zone to do something that you enjoy, by yourself.

Song: “Lottery” by Jade Bird

In <100 Words: What a great melody on this song, especially on the chorus. “Lottery” almost feels hippie/Woodstock ready with the soft guitar moments & jangling tambourine. However, the lyrics add a cool contrast to this, being filled with number-talk. Plus, her voice is lovely – like birds singing almost. Seriously, can I talk about the chorus again? The ending line has been stuck in my head for days now.

Fave Lyric: “You used to say that love is a game, but you got your numbers and you’re betting on me.”

What This Sound Like: Spending your time with a loved one in nature instead of spending your money inside a casino.

Song: “Bite My Tongue” by The Academic

In <100 Words: It can feel good to speak your mind, but sometimes it’s better to just sit down and shut up. “Bite My Tongue” seems to touch on the short-term joy (or potentially, in the end, long-term joy) of not holding back and also deciding to keep quiet for the sake of “not raining on your parade.” Meanwhile, this the band playing probably makes this the most upbeat track on the record – and it sounds great, especially on the chorus.

Fave Lyric: “My dear, what have we become? … So I’ll just bite my tongue.”

I Also Recommend: The track that directly follows this, “Fake ID,” sounds like going out for the night – kicking off the track with the opening of a door. “Permanent Vacation” and “Television” are two more upbeat bangers. I also enjoy “Different.”

The Album Overall: It’s a quick listen at 35 minutes, and while the songs on the record may feel too similar to each other, the pacing & length of the songs don’t tire you out at all. All-in-all, a good debut!

What This Sound Like: Driving with the top down by the beach.

Song: “Perfect” by Andreas Moss

In <100 Words: Andreas has a silky sweet voice that sounds best over non-distracting music. “Perfect” does a good job of this by having, essentially, just an acoustic guitar in the verses/bridge and a fairly subdued worbly bass in the chorus. If anything the shaking bass in the chorus pairs perfectly (lol) as Andreas hits the high notes in a swoon to the listener who “doesn’t have to be perfect” and is “worth it to me.” It really does take someone else to see the beauty in yourself when all you see are flaws.

Fave Lyric: “These are the moments when I see you – the purest form of you bleeding through.”

What This Sound Like: Blushing.

Song: “Stay Off My Mind” by Skott

In <100 Words: Immediately, you’ll hear “I’m thinking of you!” in some sort of ethereal, potentially self-sampling outburst that will catch your ear. The production kicks in as “Stay Off My Mind” enters the first verse with chirpy drums, guitar, and piano. Skott seems to throw in some autotune into the mix, which makes her sound pointedly distant from the listener who she wants out of her mind. The one moment of a back & forth of “still on my mind” in the chorus is really pretty. Lyrically, it’s more heart-wrenching than you’d expect – being about the death of a close friend. Damn.

Fave Lyric: “I’m left with the silence – there’s something about it, I don’t know, I don’t mind just sitting here alone.”

I Also Recommend: Snappy & groovy “In the Mood.”

The EP Overall: Because it’s so short I don’t have too strong of an opinion one way or another, but the two aforementioned tracks get me very excited to see what a full record would look like.

What This Sound Like: Wandering a city, with nothing to distract you from thinking about thoughts you were trying to avoid.

Week of January 12, 2018 Song: "Slide" by LPX In <100 Words: Cheating a bit since this came out the end of last year, but I didn't listen until the EP.

#2018 #anderson east #andreas moss #borns #jade bird #kali uchis #lpx #skott #the academic #the spencer lee band #tonight alive #troye sivan

1 note · View note

kpoprambles00-blog · 5 years

Text

Spring 2019 comeback review [Part 1]

I don't give a shit if it's the middle of summer, there were way too many good comebacks in the spring. I can't NOT talk about them.

Seriously, I don't know who was in charge of the scheduling for this comeback season, but good LORD they were out to kill me. Every other day it seemed like we had a major comeback, or at least a comeback I personally was interesting. And while that's great, because it gives me a lot of material to talk about here... it also gives me a LOT of material to talk about here. It's one of the main reasons why this is so late; there were almost TOO many damn comebacks and reviews. This review nearly ended up being three parts long. That's how intense it got.

But in the end, I've narrowed it down to 20 songs I wanted to talk about. (I say that as if 20 is a small number...) Now, keep in mind, I have already done some reviews of spring comebacks; namingly, Dreamcatcher, MAMAMOO, TWICE, BLACKPINK and (G)I-DLE. They won't be mentioned here (because that would be overkill at this point), but if you want to read my reviews and find out what I thought of each comeback, they're all on this blog!

Anyway, that's enough rambling. I'll be here for another two months at this rate. Spring comebacks, let's go!

EVERGLOW (에버글로우) - BON BON CHOCOLAT (봉봉쇼콜랏)

~ MV link ~

I didn't think I'd be able to say this after (G)I-DLE, but... this might just be one of the most promising girl group debuts of the 3rd gen. If not THE most promising.

Like. Wow. This sounds like a song that a pre-established artist would release mid-way through their career, only to be received with critical acclaim and everyone calling it "their best song". BUT IT'S JUST THEIR DEBUT SONG. WHAT. There are very few debuts that leave me speechless - (G)I-DLE impressed me, yes, but they didn't drop my jaw or anything. Everglow DID. If you've been seeing a lot of hype around this song, then trust me when I say it's for a fucking good reason.

"Bon Bon Chocolat" is one of the most intense and powerful girl group songs I've heard in the past year or so. I had no clue what to expect going in, admittedly, but man this was a fantastic surprise. The instrumental, for starters, is fucking nuts. It's got this phenomenal 808 bass line that permeates the entire song, along with some really interesting bass drum beats and some gorgeous, vibrant synths to help boost the melody. It's a tour de force of momentum that just does not fucking stop, and I for one am in for the ride. The vocal samples are another standout, as well; the minute you hear those fast-paced adlibs at the beginning, that's when you know that this is going to be something special.

Speaking of vocals, that's probably my only gripe with this song. Each of the members' performances are layered with quite a bit of autotune, which I'm not the biggest fan of. But the more I listen to it, the more I feel like it works in the song's favor. Sure, it does make their voices less distinct and makes it harder for you to get a feel for the members' charms (which is important for a debut, in my opinion), but the song is so damn good that it actually ends up working. In a weird way. The fact that the girls are able to pull of this sound and concept without sounding like they're trying to be the next BLACKPINK is... amazing in my eyes. It's a trap so many rookie groups can fall into, trying to sound like a hugely popular and successful artist. But Everglow have their own charm, and it shines from start to finish.

Lyrically, this song is certainly invocative of a debut. It's got that sort of "you can do anything if you believe in yourself" message to it, but it's a very confident and fresh take. The charm and personality of the lyrics actually works, and is boosted by, the girls' performances and that amazing instrumental. They honestly elevate what would normally be some pretty standard lyrics into something more interesting and worth your time.

You, straighten up your shoulders and get up Look at the world outside the window That's been trapping and hiding you

Oh, and guess what? The choreo is phenomenal as well. WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED, HUH.

~ Dance practice link ~

And that brilliance makes a lot of sense when you realise that that was choreographed by Lia Kim. Yeah. Lia Kim from 1MILLION. Only one of the most successful and celebrated dance companies out there right now. She is really fucking good at what she does, and that mastery comes across in spades here. This routine ebbs and flows in all the right places, and you can really tell how considerate she was when choreographing it; you can tell she wanted it to match the song perfectly, and she really fucking nailed it in that regard. It also helps that the girls of Everglow themselves are all great dancers, too; they've got so much power and finesse to their moves that helps them flow excellently from one move to the next.

Overall, this was fucking fantastic. I absolutely cannot wait to see where these girls go next, because if it's anywhere near as good as "Bon Bon Chocolat", these girls are going to go far.

STAN TALENT, STAN EVERGLOW.

DAEHYUN (대현) - YOU'RE MY (너는 내게)

~ MV link ~

Alright, I'll admit that this is a very indulgent pick for me. But shhhhh let me have my moment okay.

For those of you who haven't been keeping up with the latest bullshit going on over at TS Entertainment, you might not know that B.A.P ended up basically disbanding a few months ago. All of the members gradually left the label - thank FUCK - and now they've all gone their own separate ways to follow new paths. Although, as a BABY since debut, I really do think they'll come back at some point. The boys are all incredibly close, and I don't feel like they'd just want to stop being B.A.P just because they're not under TS anymore.

But the first thing a lot of the members have been doing is pursuing solo projects, a lot of which actually dropped in springtime. Yongguk released "Hikikomori (히키코모리)", Youngjae released "Another Night", and Daehyun released "You're My (너는 내게)". And while all three songs are fantastic - you should seriously go check them out if you get the chance, they're hidden gems that more people should know about - I decided to review Daehyun's for this comeback review. I'd love to do all three, but I've got enough songs to review as it is.

And that's mainly because... well, Daehyun's my ultimate bias. (Well, at least my ultimate male bias; Hyosung from Secret is my ultimate female bias). He was my first ever proper bias in K-Pop, and he's been my favourite in B.A.P since day one. So it was inevitable that I was going to be interested in whatever he releases. And it turns out that he really decided to play to his strengths here, because "You're My (너는 내게)" is a mid-tempo ballad that really gives his amazing vocals room to breathe. Now, whilst ballads are not generally something I seek out, I'll make certain exceptions if I really like the artists. And yeah, I was always going to make an exception for Daehyun.

This actually reminds me a lot of one of Kyuhyun's solo songs, "At Gwanghwamun (광화문에서)", and considering that that's another ballad I really like, that's a great thing! Both songs are relatively chill, relaxed and pleasant to listen to, with their own instrumental swells where it's deemed necessarily. But I do honestly prefer "You're My (너는 내게)" a little more in the end - mainly since I feel like it has a bit more impact. The instrumental really suits Daehyun here, and the strings and piano lines are perfect for his vocal tone. They're very warm and welcoming, which is one of my favourite qualities about his voice. Whereas Kyuhyun always goes for a slightly breathier tone, Daehyun is very well able to lean into full-on belts every now and again, and... yeah. I do prefer this overall. Daehyun's voice is just killer for me.

And yeah, as is to be expected from a ballad like this, the lyrics are quite sweet and emotional. They're even a little bit pensive in places. But with Daehyun, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that some of these lyrics are aimed at BABYs as a whole. He's always been very clear about how much he loves and supports the fandom as a whole; seriously, go look at his Twitter and you'll see what I mean. He's a very grateful, very kind person, and that's reflected in a lot of these lyrics. Yes, they can be about romance, too, but considering this is his first time really venturing out on his own outside of B.A.P... it makes a lot of sense. It's very heartwarming. 😊

When things were hard, you were always by my side That's the reason I was able to live I won't forget, I'll always remember

While "You're My (너는 내게)" is probably going to feel like just another ballad to some people, to me - and probably a lot of other BABYs as well - it'll stand out as a big moment for Dae. Wherever he decides to take his solo career from here, you can bet it'll be good. He's a genuinely great guy with some real talent, and I hope both he and the other members of B.A.P do well in their solo careers. They honestly deserve it. 😊

ITZY (있지) - DALLA DALLA (달라달라)

~ MV link ~

...where... the fuck... do I start with this.

Okay, so JYP. One of the big three. Of course, going into the next gen of K-Pop, they'll have TWICE and GOT7. But they're mainly 3rd generation groups. Stray Kids are going to need a sister group of sorts to go with them into the next generation, right? So they debuted Itzy! And adorable name aside, these girls had a lot, and I mean a LOT of hype around them coming up to debut. Need I remind you that Shin Ryujin won MIXNINE? Yeah, that's just the start of it.

But... as we all know, this was originally supposed to be a six-member group. Of course, Somi was originally going to be a part of Itzy. But she left, and recently started her own solo career (which will be in the summer comeback review). So that leaves the remaining five members of Itzy to push forward as a beacon of what K-Pop can be, of how different and unique and memorable it can be, right? They might end up being the face of the next generation!

...with a song like this? God, I... kinda hope not...

Yeah, this is going to sound harsh. But JYP, this is NOT how you debut a promising girl group. I'm sorry, but it needs to be said - if you like the song, good for you, I'm glad you can find things you find enjoyable here. But I cannot listen to "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" and think of it as anything else other than a raging dumpster fire. The only way this song is even listenable for me is if it's rearranged. Which, yes, that's the version I've been listening to since the day it came out. The original version is just... awful. AND THAT'S SUCH A GODDAMN SHAME.

Say what you will about me hating on Itzy for doing something different, but I really do love the image and concept that they're going for here. They're not trying to blend in; they're their own thing, and they make that clear from moment one. But... jeez, "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" rams that message into your face so hard that it already feels stale. What the fuck happened, JYP? You have five of the most talented trainees out there in K-Pop right now, and you give them this as their debut song?! Don't get me wrong, it has its merits - the verses and choruses are nice. They're fun, upbeat and are great examples of bouncy bubblegum pop. They sound lovely! And the "don't care what people say" bridge is gorgeous as well.

But... the rest of this song... it doesn't even sound like music. It sounds dissonant. It sounds messy. It sounds downright atonal. It's like a rollercoaster that's going way too fast because of a fault in its engineering. It's got this awful mess of synths and blaring samples that just... doesn't mesh. At all. and it ruins the song's ending ENTIRELY. It's so bad. Seriously. I can't imagine a world where I listen to it and find it entertaining. Who let Skrillex lose in JYP's studio?

And the lyrics... yeah, they're fine, I guess. For a concept that was trying to be so different and distinctive, you could've had your songwriters come up with some more interesting lyrics, JYP. They're nothing we haven't heard before. They're spunky, yes, and they suit the girls' age, but... are they really all that different?

Just pretty but not attractive at all I'm different from the kids, I'm different Don't measure me by your standards alone I love being myself, I'm nobody else

Thankfully, there are two good things about this song in the end: number one is the girls themselves. The hype around the members was certainly justified if you ask me. Every single one of them has their own charm and personality, and they seem like they're going to develop into amazing performers; if they're this good now, then I can't wait to see where they are in five years' time. But the second good thing about "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" is THAT. MOTHERFUCKING. DANCE.

~ Dance practice link ~

Now THIS is how you debut a rookie girl group like Itzy. This is one of those routines where I watch it and can't help but wonder how the fuck they're even alive after such an energetic routine. It by no means negates the fact that the song is a mess - I don't think anything could at this point - but damn, this is about the best choreo we could've gotten here. It also helps that all five girls are excellent performers, and they pull off each move with so much finesse and clarity that it's awe-inspiring. And yes, the hairflips are equally as amazing. ESPECIALLY Yeji. Like... goddamn girl, Ariana Grande called, she heard how much her ponytail suits you and wanted to say you can keep it.

So while the routine is possibly one of the best this year, the song... couldn't be further from that. Yeah, if I make a worst list this year, this'll be on it. I sure as hell hope JYP actually give Itzy a song that shows them some respect next time, because this goes down as one of the worst debut songs in my memory. Yeah. I dislike it that much. These girls deserve better, full stop.

TAEMIN (태민) - WANT

~ MV link ~

Debuts aside, someone who's had my attention from day one of their solo career is Taemin. I remember hearing "Danger" for the first time and being blown away at just how well he handled himself outside of SHINee. And he's never really let up that momentum; "Press Your Number" was fantastic, "Move" was one of the biggest songs of last year, and now he's released his follow up to that, "Want". And even though I liked "Move" for what it was, I think "Want" might just be its slightly better cousin.

Taemin's established an image for himself that is frought with sex appeal. I mean, seriously, just go watch this man dance if you haven't already. You'll see what I mean. It suits his vocal tone, too, since he's got this very breathy yet charismatic whisper of sorts that just sounds really damn unique. That image was pretty much perfected with "Move", but "Want" evolves on it in a few interesting ways. The instrumental takes advantage of this strange, distorted sample that sounds super different and mysterious; it's not something you can describe easily. But then there's also a thumping bassline and some really interesting, deep synths that work beautifully alongside it. Everything in the instrumental is masterfully crafted, and it all plays into that main image Taemin is going for - this song is dirty, and it's not afraid to show that.

That says a lot about Taemin as a performer, too. He uses his aforementioned breathy tone in some places, but then dips into his lower range and full-on belts in others. It's a really damn clever mix of the two, and it only serves to further the song's tone. The vocal distortion effects used here and there are goddamn great, too! This sort of sexy image is not something Taemin's ever shyed away from; he's embraced it, and "Want" makes that message loud and clear. It's so damn well put together, and carries out its concept with such elegance and poise (and a hell of a lot of charisma to boot).

Don't even get me started on the lyrics - you thought the song was sexy? Hooo man, that's nothing. These are straight up FILTHY. They really play into the Adam and Eve concept shown in the video, too. It's very reminiscent of Gain's "Paradise Lost" in that sense, and I really, REALLY like it.

You'll want it more, you'll burn up more I'm your eyes, I'll make you open up new eyes I'm your toy to make you innocent

But, of course, it's Taemin. He doesn't just have a reputation for being sexy. He has a reputation as one of the best goddamn dancers to come out of K-Pop, period. And yeah, watching the choreography for this song shows exactly what I mean by that.

~ Dance practice link ~

I feel bad for anyone who attempts a dance cover of this song. Damn, I even feel bad for the fucking backup dancers here. Taemin is just THAT good. He's got such a fine sense of poise and finesse to every movement he has, and you can really tell he doesn't just dance for the sake of it. Taemin is one of those rare people that really feels whatever routine he's dancing to; this is a masterclass in that. And yet, it's as if he's holding back; he knows we're going to want to see him go nuts and blow us all away, but the choreography is restrained... which links perfectly back into the theming of the lyrics and music video. Honestly, the dance makes this song a near masterpiece in my eyes; it's flawlessly executed and masterfully put together.

To think I was nearly going to leave this song off this list because of having so much to cover... I'm glad I didn't. Taemin's one of the strongest solo artists in K-Pop at the minute, and he delights with each and every single comeback. He can step on me and I'd say thank you, and that just about sums up how phenomenal "Want" is as a song.

HWASA (화사) - TWIT (멍청이)

~ MV link ~

When I found out that Hwasa was going to get a full-on solo, I can't begin to tell you how happy I was. She's been my bias in MAMAMOO since day one, and her solo projects on past albums have been great. So to see her get a promoted solo was awesome! Yes, it was cut short to actually let the girls breathe between promotions for this and Gogobebe (as well as preparation for their concert), but that's completely understandable. And yet, the song doesn't feel rushed or undercooked at all - it's a full-on solo effort from Hwasa, and a very successful effort if you ask me!

Outside of the debacle with the girls' schedules, I feel like RBW are doing a good job managing MAMAMOO, and that's clearly evident here with Hwasa. They noticed how popular she's becoming, especially after her viral MAMAs performance last year, and decided to capitalize on that by giving her a solo. And not gonna lie, "Twit (멍청이)" is just about the perfect song for Hwasa. It is LITERALLY her strengths and personality condensed into a song. She gets to show off her sultry, confident side that she's known for, whilst also showing a lot of vulnerability and tenderness in the lyrics; she's got a charm that's so damn hard to place, but this song does it perfectly. I couldn't imagine anyone else singing this - it just wouldn't suit them like it suits Hyejin.

The song itself is certainly memorable, too. The instrumental is more reminiscent of standard pop, with some interesting flute elements that make the melody incredibly catchy. The trumpet synths in the second half work really well in contrast with the more natural guitar tones in the verses, too; "Twit (멍청이)" is very good at building and maintaining its momentum as a song. None of it feels forced or shoe-horned in at the last minute, and I really like that! It feels very complete and distinctive.

Like I mentioned, though, the lyrics are much more emotional than you'd expect. Yes, the song itself is confident and in your face (and Hwasa's voice is powerful as all hell, let's be real), but the lyrics are... certainly surprising. Hell, there's even a goddamn reference to Korean folklore, and the story of Simcheong. There's more to the relationship here than you'd initially think, that's for sure. Hwasa admits that because she's so confident and independent, she's often the driving force in this relationship. And yes, she can bring out the best bits of her partner, but at the same time, they're very reliant on her, and she tends to resent them and push them away because of that. They're... surprisingly complex. I seriously didn't expect that sort of emotional gutpunch from a solo project by Hwasa of all people, but damn, I love it! It's super effective.

You're a twit, a man who knows only me Like delicate Simcheong* Look around once in a while You don't realise how hurt you are

* = this is the folklore story I was talking about; DKDKTV did a great explanation of it here.

Following on from that, if there's anyone who knows how to have fun in a dance, it's Hwasa. And damn, does she have fun with the routine for "Twit (멍청이)".

~ Dance practice link ~

Not only can you tell that she's really getting into the choreography itself through her facial expressions and movements, but the relationship she has with her backup dancers is nothing short of amazing. It adds so much electricity to the routine, no lie. Every single person here shines, Hwasa or not, and the routine itself is pretty great to boot! The position changes are really fun and interesting to watch, and they certainly do a great job of keeping your attention. They do a great job of letting Hwasa shine, too; you really get the sense she's the star here. Regardless, it's a surprisingly solid routine that suits her perfectly.

That's how I'd describe this entire debut, to be honest: it suits Hwasa perfectly. RBW made a great decision in giving her this opportunity, and it's something I hope she keeps up with in the future. Hell, this was successful enough to warrant a solo comeback in the future, right? I even heard it in H&M one day. That was very surprising, but... also absolutely amazing. Just like the song!

ATEEZ (에이티즈) - SAY MY NAME

~ MV link ~

Man, we were speaking of B.A.P earlier, right? And I've seen an awful lot of hype going around for ATEEZ; apparently they've just really caught on and people see a lot of potential in them.

WELL IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THEY WERE A MODERN B.A.P I WOULD'VE JUMPED ONTO THE HYPE TRAIN WAY FUCKING SOONER.

Seriously, I've been discussing this with a friend of mine, and this sounds pretty much exactly like something B.A.P would've released back in late 2012, during the "No Mercy" era. I can literally imagine what member would sing what part. But don't think that that's a bad thing - "No Mercy" is still a fucking phenomenal song, and "Say My Name" is just as good. Dare I say, a little bit better in some ways?

Like I said, I hadn't listened to ATEEZ before this - but damn, the hype is real. The potential these guys have is astounding. The instrumental here is big, it's bombastic, it's what you'd expect from a boy group. The trap snares and blaring trumpet synths are nothing new. But it's the little touches here that make it truly special, like the whistle melody, or the natural acoustic guitar line. On top of that, ATEEZ are some of the strongest rookie performers I've heard in a looooooong time. They impressed me about as much as Everglow did, and that's saying something. A killer vocal line plus a really fucking great rap line is just the perfect recipe for a boy group in my head, and ATEEZ are the definition of it. They have so much effortless charisma that a lot of boy groups will strive to achieve, but will never quite get. These guys just have it ingrained in them from the word go, and that's hard to find.

I picked this song to review over "HALA HALA" in the end, mainly because I did find "HALA HALA" a liiiiiiittle cringey. That's mainly because of the lyrics - the whole Suicide Squad thing kinda pulled me out of the song. (Jongho's vocals didn't though, good LORD.) But as for "Say My Name", the lyrics are actually VERY different than what I was expecting! I was expecting some sort of uplifting message about how we're going to overthrow society's self-inflicted patriarchy (although Stray Kids did deliver on that front with the MV for "Miroh"). But it's more about how they gain strength from their fans and their success, and how it encourages them to keep pushing and moving forward. They're surprisingly sweet, actually! There are some nice little details here and there that make them really heartwarming.

Say my name, my name is in the search results I have my name tag that I wanted so badly I have friends all around me

Another thing I'd heard a lot about ATEEZ is that their choreographies are top-class; these guys are apparently fantastic dancers.

~ Dance practice link ~

And, uh... do... do they even have a main dancer? Or is that just something that's applied to the group universally? I'm... pretty convinced they don't have one at this point...

These guys... these guys are scarily good. Like... whoa. They don't have a single bad dancer. Every single one of them looks like they're into it, they're feeling the vibe of the song, and they just... proceed to murder every move given to them. Like... I only get this kind of vibe amongst groups that are KNOWN for their dance skills, like BTS or SHINee. But even then, they admittedly have their flaws... I'm not seeing one with this routine. It's... freakishly perfect. So much so that I'm kind of disturbed by it a little? I honestly didn't know who to watch during this dance practice. It's the definition of captivating. I would fucking KILL to see this done live, good lord...

(Also Jongho looks fancy as fuck, I love it.)

Yeah, so, um, bear with me while I go buy this album. These guys are going to be huge. I can feel it. Not to be THAT person, but I felt it with BTS when they debuted, and look where they are now... I haven't had this kind of gut feeling about a boy group for a hot fucking minute. You bet your ass I'm following ATEEZ from now on. Every single ounce of hype around them is real.

SUNMI (선미) - NOIR (누아르)

~ MV link ~

I remember mentioning on this blog before that "Heroine" was my favourite Sunmi song. It was just the song that stood out to me the most, since I liked "Gashina" but admittedly got a teeeeeensy bit tired of it after how much it blew up, and also since I... really didn't like "Siren" that much. So as far as solo Sunmi songs go, "Heroine" was the standard as far as I was concerned. But I couldn't be any happier to say that "Noir" IS that new standard, and it's by far my favourite song Sunmi's put out yet.

The song itself is actually quite interesting; it's got a very dark tone overall, with its deep synth line, echoed backing vocals, and the striking minor chord progressions. And yet, it's all anchored with what I can only describe as an 80s drum line, full of snappy bass beats and really memorable rhythms. It's a very interesting song musically, but where "Noir" REALLY shines is the messaging. The lyrics, the music video, even the live performance she did on M!Countdown - all of it ties back into the overarching theme.

That overarching theme is one that's very goddamn relevant, actually. In an age where social media is so prevalent, a lot of people get hung up on the attention. A little bit of popularity is never enough. That's what Sunmi thinks "Noir" is, as she described in an interview; we're in an age where people are so addicted to attention that they disregard their own safety in order to get it. It's a trap far too many people fall into, and Sunmi touches on it in a way that's simultaneously candid and very haunting. She even gave us an example of it in real life, too - remember that picture she posted leading up to this comeback? A picture of a hand full of what seemed to be Advil?

Everyone immediately started to panic, and freak out over her well being... but that was the point. We gave her the attention because she implied she was going to do something dangerous. It's a fucking ingenious way of promotion, that's for sure, but it really does show that the themes "Noir" touches on are still alive and well. (KPOP Junkee did a fantastic explanation of this on their YouTube channel.)

In terms of the lyrics, though, they seem to be a bit more cryptic; at first glance, they seem to be about a tumultuous relationship of some kind. BUT that's not the only way you should look at this. DKDKTV made a fucking great video explaning "Noir", alongside an interesting theory - what if we're meant to be looking at these lyrics from more of a Jekyll and Hyde point of view? Sunmi's trying to convince herself to embrace the dangerous lifestyle "Noir" describes, i.e. putting yourself in dangerous situations to get other peoples' attention.

I've already seen this before, I feel so high Everything goes blurry, 1, 2, 3 Now I'm blind, I don't know why I know what it is even if I don't see it, a bad ending

So while there technically isn't a dance for this song (I mean, there will be soon, since EAST2WEST won the #NoirChallenge & that's going to become the official routine - which they deserve, they're amazing!), there's still a hell of a lot to look at here. And overall, this is a serious contender for one of my favourite songs of the year as a whole. Sunmi knocked it out of the goddamn park with "Noir", and I would LOVE to see her try a concept like this again some time. It really shows how much of a professional she can be, and "Noir" is straight-up my favourite thing she's done. I love it. 👏👏👏

MOMOLAND (모모랜드) - I'M SO HOT

~ MV link ~

I find it very ironic that we're going from a song that's pretty serious to one that's... not serious at all. Not even in the slightest.

I won't hide the fact that I liked "Bboom Bboom" quite a bit last year, and I found "BAAM" to be even better. (No, I don't think they sound the same.) So going into MOMOLAND's comeback, I was curious to see if all the hate they had been getting would affect their sound; would they change it up from what they'd found success with to appease the haters, or would they stick with something more light-hearted and fun?

They ended up doing the latter, and I'm very much happy with what we got! Honestly, "I'm So Hot" might be tied with "BAAM" for my favourite MOMOLAND song yet. It's incredibly reminiscent of some of what T-ARA released back in their prime; a simple yet fun song with some interesting elements to make it memorable. The trumpet sample in particular is something I really like; I've seen some people say it's fairly grating, but I can't help but love it. The ragtime pianos and old-school vibes here and there really sell it for me, too! It's just an upbeat, fun pop song that you can really just enjoy yourself with.

But what I DON'T get is why people hate on this song simply because they find it "boring" or "nothing new", or even just because it's MOMOLAND. (Yes, rant incoming.)

Since when have songs like this lost their place in K-Pop? To bring back T-ARA as an example, everyone adored "Roly Poly", "Bo Peep Bo Peep" and "Lovey Dovey" when they came out because of how fun they were. Those songs didn't try to take themselves seriously; MBK just wanted to give T-ARA fun, bouncy songs that would stick in everyone's minds. And they did. So why are MOMOLAND getting hate for doing the same thing? These sorts of songs deserve to be here just as much as anything else does. People need to get over their goddamn hate boner for MOMOLAND and just move on. If you don't like the song, that's completely fine! If you hate on the girls for "copying themselves", "never doing anything original", and saying that "they're just trying to repeat the success of Bboom Bboom", fuck you. You're part of the problem. K-Pop isn't a contest, in contrast to what some Twitter stans might believe. Grow up, stop wasting your energy sending needless hate to artists, and move on. Rant over.

In terms of "I'm So Hot" though, it's nothing too insane lyrically - which is what you'd expect going in. Or at least you should. The title alone tells you that this is going to be pretty face-level and superficial. But hey, you need something to turn your brain off to every once in a while, and when the song's as fun as this, I can't really complain!

Why I'm pretty, why I'm cute Why am I not tired of hearing that over and over? People say that I'm pretty, that I'm cute

There's not a lot to go through here in terms of the dance, either - but again, I don't really mind it that much.

~ Dance practice link ~

To be honest, yeah, this routine is quite basic. But a major upside to routines like this is that the idols get time to breathe properly when they're performing. And considering how fucking balls-to-the-wall energetic "Bboom Bboom"'s choreography was, yeah, I'm okay with this. (I still have NO clue how they kept their energy during those stages, that dance is exhausting.) Of course, people are going to hate and say that this dance was designed purely to go viral. How, may I ask, is that a bad thing? How is having a dance that's simple, fun and easy to pick up bad? Not everything has to be mind-blowingly hard. Sometimes it just needs to be accessible, and that's probably how I'd describe this routine overall. It's got some nice elements to it (particularly in the position switches), and it's very easy for anyone to look at and join in with. It's also a hell of an arm workout. 💪

In the end, I really like "I'm So Hot"! It's fun, it's funky, and it's one of my favourite MOMOLAND songs so far. I'll admit that I do miss Daisy and Taeha, though - hopefully they come back soon so we can see an OT9 performance of this!

IZ*ONE (아이즈원) - VIOLETA (비올레타)

~ MV link ~

Alright, I've wanted to talk about this song since it came out so let me just get this out of the way:

THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE A NON-REPETITIVE STRUCTURE AS AN ARTIST.

"Violeta" has pretty much the exact same structure as "La Vie En Rose" - a relatively quiet intro, nice verse, chorus, rap and second verse, next chorus, final bridge with adlibs, final chorus and final drop to really add emphasis. Their layout is exactly the same. But to say that those two songs are the same is SO goddamn wrong that I might just punch you. Yes, they have the exact same structure. But that works in "Violeta"'s favour, because it's a structure that works. It's a way for IZ*ONE to keep a style and sound whilst still having the freedom to change it up a bit. It's really fucking clever.

In terms of the song itself though, it... actually really surprised me! I certainly didn't expect IZ*ONE to lean into deep house, but here we are. That flute melody is really damn effective, since it's often layered over some interesting percussion snaps and some goddamn angelic synths and melodies. And yeah, the deep house aspects really work here - it all builds up to an explosive conclusion that left me very impressed. I wasn't sure about it on the first listen, if I'm being honest, but it really grew on me!

Lyrically, this song is kind of what you'd expect from a girl group like IZ*ONE. It's one of those really sweet lovey-dovey love songs, full of wonder and charm. That sort of stuff just doesn't appeal to me, but I don't mind it when the song is so distinctive.

Your smile that's drawn in the sky is shining so bright The beautiful flower in your heart You're my Violeta

But, of course, what I was looking forward to the most here was the choreography. And considering "La Vie en Rose" had my favourite routine of last year - and one of my favourite K-Pop routines I've ever seen - my expectations were admittedly very, VERY high.

Buuuuuuuut yeah, they fucking killed it. AGAIN.

~ Dance practice link ~

Okay, admittedly, I don't like this as much as "La Vie en Rose" in the end. But that's perfectly fine by me - routines as good as "La Vie en Rose" are a real fucking rarity. "Violeta" is still fantastic routine, and one that's just a goddamn spectacle. It's a lot more graceful and monumental in a few places, which makes sense considering how powerful the instrumental can be here and there. It's beautifully put together, and expertly performed by all 12 members - Chaeyoung in particular really stands out here. Her skills are NO JOKE. Overall, the transitions are gorgeous, the moves are diverse and delightful to watch, and this routine is still fucking amazing. IZ*ONE are probably one of the best girl groups out there right now in terms of choreography. Yeah, I mean that.

So "Violeta" ended up being a pretty great comeback! I did see a lot of people saying that maybe this should've been the debut song instead of "La Vie en Rose", but I disagree - I feel like this is the perfect follow-up. It keeps IZ*ONE's momentum going steadily, and I really hope they keep up this standard, because I might just end up stanning them if they do. I'm THAT close to becoming a WIZ*ONE. I just don't want to have my heart broken when they inevitably end promotion. ;-;

KARD - BOMB BOMB (밤밤)

~ MV link ~

...y'all mind if I just fangirl for the next 5 minutes? I hope so, because that's inevitably what's going to happen here.

I mean have you SEEN this motherfucking video. KARD just... decided to do That. Like they fucking WENT there. (BM and Somin in particular. Hoooooooooooly fuck.)

But let's be honest, this is the song KARD have been destined to make since they first came about. For those of you who were complaining that all of their songs sounded the same, and that you were sick of that California junkee vibe they had going on, then HERE YA FUCKING GO. They didn't come to mess around this time.

If I'm being honest, I'm a huge Hidden KARD, and this is straight-up one of my new favourite songs of theirs. It sits up there for me alongside "Rumor" and "You In Me". It's big, it's bombastic, it's in your face, and it's the kind of song that pulls you in from the get-go. Yes, I'm not the biggest fan of the slightly wet percussion that's used here and there in the verses - I think it sounds a little off - but everything else is just gorgeous. The pre-choruses have this echoey, atmospheric build-up to them thanks to the percussion and harmonies, but then the choruses themselves have this... almost wiry synth that's very reminiscent of something like Yezi's "Anck Su Namun." It fits that sort of Middle-Eastern vibe beautifully. And yet, while that's the sort of instrument that I'd normally despise, it really works here - and I think that's in large part to how much pure charisma the members have.

I'm not going to mince words here, BM absolutely runs the fuck away with this song. He's made for stuff like this, where his energy is naturally called for, and he can do what he does best - being hype as fuck. But that doesn't mean the other members fall short; J.Seph singing is always something I'm happy to hear more of, since I like his singing just as much as his rapping. Jiwoo's lower, slightly rough vocal tone sounds fantastic no matter what she sings, and Somin? Somin BODIES this song. It's stuff like this that make me happy she left April - just think what would've happened if she didn't. Her vocals are absolutely killer here, and from how confident she appears in the live stages, she knows it.

And yeah, with a song like this that's meant to be hype and fit for a party, the lyrics aren't going to be all that special. But since that's not the focus, I'm more than willing to let that slide here. They're fun and catchy, and that's all a song like this really needs if you ask me. (I also like how BM straight-up knows how thirsty everyone is over him. Can he BE any more self-aware?)

Don't try to sober up Just get drunk with the vibes [...] I'm dizzy, why are you messing with my heart?

Of course, one of my favourite things about any KARD comeback is seeing the choreography, since there aren't that many male/female groups out there right now. I always love seeing how the routines work around having both male and female performers, and I've got to say, "Bomb Bomb" might have one of KARD's best choreographies to date. You thought their vocal performances were charismatic? HOOO BOI.

~ Dance practice link ~

This shit right here is why I stan KARD the way I do. The thing I said before about creating a routine for both male and female performers is done excellently. There isn't a move that feels out of place in this routine, and every single member gets their chance to show off - well, apart from J.Seph, who's stuck behind 6 foot tall BM for most of the choreo. Which is a crying shame, he's really fucking good! But aside from that, Somin and Jiwoo are probably at their best with this sort of concept; you can tell that they're not only looking good, but they're really getting involved with the choreography, too. They're into it, and it shows. And then there's BM, who I don't even think I need to explain at this point. He's a fucking dancing machine, and if you've seen KARD before, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But all in all, no member (for the most part) overshadows or outshines another here, and this gives a routine that's both very well balanced and REALLY fucking fun to watch.

Basically, a great song and great choreography makes for a happy me. KARD fucking killed it with this comeback, and I'm so glad to see them shut down the hate they've been getting with something like "Bomb Bomb". I get the funny feeling this is going to be one of my songs of the summer this year - I've certainly had it on repeat enough to warrant that. 😅

•••••

...and that's only part one of this comeback review. This one took long enough to get out as it is, so no promises as to when part two will be up. I'm going to try my best to get it up soon-ish, but I'm also working on two album reviews right now, sooooooooooo God knows when that will be. Someone kill me pls. K-Pop has been too good this year so far... 💀

SOURCES FOR THE ENGLISH LYRICS I USED IN THIS REVIEW:

Bon Bon Chocolat (봉봉쇼콜랏)

You're My (너는 내게)

DALLA DALLA (달라달라)

WANT

Twit (멍청이)

Say My Name

Noir (누아르)

I'm So Hot

Violeta (비올레타)

#k-pop #comeback review #ITZY #everglow #MAMAMOO #jung daehyun #taemin #ATEEZ #momoland #sunmi #IZ*ONE

0 notes

alexhatesmusic · 7 years

Text

Alex reviews the song Closer by the group the Chainsmokers

The beginning to {insert your favorite crime show here} always unfolds in the same way. Someone is running through the woods, breathing heavily, and looking back over their shoulder. The viewpoint juggles between tight, close-ups to far away landscapes to point-of-view as we watch this character sprint through the wilderness. It becomes pretty evident that this person is running from something, but we never get a clear view of what they’re running from, only that it’s terrifying and evil. The escapee crouches behind a tree/fallen tree/randomunexplainedstructure and we think, “Hey, they made it!” Right as relief washes over the character (and us), the poor soul is stabbed or shot or something and we learn an important lesson: You can never escape evil.

That’s how I feel about the song “Closer” by the Chainsmokers. It had been a few weeks since I had last heard “Closer.” I was enjoying life; a soul-crushing burden removed from me. I let myself believe that I had escaped this song and perhaps I would never hear it again. I thought that maybe (just maybe) I was free.

And then some fuck tagged me in this.

First of all, let’s talk about this band. “From Lambs to Lions???” realllyyy??? You wanted to start a faux-screamo band with your fake-metal friends and your fake-metal aesthetic and overdone haircuts that are now both out-of-style and the go-to Nazi style (s/o Richard Spencer) and you call yourself From Lambs to Lions?

Okay.

I would have gone my whole life not knowing who you are, but because you somehow thought “punk goes pop” was still relevant and because someone out there decided, “Hey, Alex would looooooove this,” I have to watch you sing shizzy autotune and do awkward choreographed instrument dances in an empty barn (so very punk). But enough with you.

I’ve been asked before why I don’t like the song “Closer” by the Chainsmokers. Somehow the answer “well, have you listened to it?” isn’t good enough, so I’ll elaborate here. Line by line.

The song starts with what I can only assume is a walrus slapping his fin down on a piano and hitting the same two chords over and over again. A voice pops in nonchalantly and says, “Hey.”

Before we go further I’ve got to note: Some people are really talented. Some people are really, really great at singing. Andrew Taggart of the Chainsmokers is not one of these people. I thought the singing might be coming from the walrus playing the same sparse notes in the background, but upon watching this video, I learned that there is in fact a man behind the voice.

So the song goes:

“Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you/ I drink too much/ And that’s an issue, but I’m okay”

Where to start? Easy knocks: I was doing just fine before I heard this song. I would drink too if I heard your voice on the daily. Blah blah blah. Beyond that, he’s obviously setting up a narrative. There’s a love interest and he drinks a lot.

“Hey, you tell your friends/ It was nice to meet them/ But I hope I never see them again”

Hey again! Not a greaaat way to start off a relationship, telling your so’s friends to fuck off and all, but alright. That last line is super wobbly vocally, but not the worst vocal experience of the track, because that belongs to the following pre-chorus.

“I know it breaks your heart/ Moved to the city in a broke-down car/ And four years, no calls/ Now you're lookin' pretty in a hotel bar/ And I-I-I can't stop/ No, I-I-I can't stop”

We don’t really know what Taggart can’t stop doing (the narrative foundation isn’t super strong here), but if it’s singing, I implore him to just try really hard for everyone else’s sake.

So the narrative timeline is a bit wonky here. He told the girl’s friends to fuck off, he admits that he’s a drunk and that he was doing a-okay before she waltzed into his life. They obviously moved from somewhere into the famed, archetypal CITY in the famed, archetypal BROKE-DOWN CAR; they haven’t spoken in four years; and, above all, he-he-he can’t stop. He runs into her at a bar, so what’s the logical thing to do next? Hook up.

“So, baby, pull me closer/ In the backseat of your Rover/ That I know you can't afford/ Bite that tattoo on your shoulder”

I guess my biggest thing is: If you own a Land Rover, why are you having sex in the backseat of your car and not indoors like a normal person? Don’t get me wrong, Car and Driver reviewed the LR4 and noted, “The LR4 is one of the few modern vehicles with a genuinely low cowl, and combined with the tall roof it returns the sensation of extreme roominess,” which means there’s probably plenty of head room to get head, but come on, man. You’ve had how many #1 singles and you decide to get it on in your girl’s Range Rover? SHE CAN’T EVEN AFFORD IT! YOU’RE GOING TO GET STAINS ON THE “luxury-lined interior” (s/o Car and Driver).

“Pull the sheets right off the corner/ Of the mattress that you stole/ From your roommate back in Boulder/ We ain't ever getting older”

So your girl’s a criminal, Taggart. Wow. At least now you’re having sex inside like a normal adult and not like a high schooler trying to hide from your parents.

So, you haven’t seen this girl for four years and you run up on her at the bar. You hook up, not only in the back seat of her car, but on a mattress that she’s had since college and your excuse is, “We ain’t ever getting older.”

Alright.

Meanwhile, the world’s laziest EDM drop is happening as the walrus continues smashing his head against the same four notes that he’s been hitting all song.

So, let’s hear what the other side of this relationship has to say.

Picture Halsey, sitting at the bar, sipping on a (lets say) Irish car bomb and (enter frame) ex-bf walks in. You haven’t spoken in four years. So far we know that you used to go to the University of Colorado, you stole your roommate’s mattress and somehow brought it 1023 miles to what I can only assume is LA. You own a Range Rover that is way out of your price range, your ex is a drunk who can’t sing, and you have a tattoo on your shoulder.

And action!

“You look as good as the day I met you/ I forget just why I left you, I was insane”

Okay, on that last part, make it a present form of the “to be” verb and we’ll talk. Maybe it was because of his alcoholism? Maybe it was he was a dick to your friends? Does he really look as good as the day you met him? It’s been at least four years plus however many years you were together (healthy estimate based on time at Boulder and time in Tuscon (see upcoming lyrics) is that you met at least six to eight years ago).

What water are they drinking in the archetypal CITY? Are y’all really not “getting older?”

Stay and play that Blink-182 song/ That we beat to death in Tucson, okay

You really couldn’t find a better band to prove that you’re a badass than Blink-182? Don’t get me wrong, “I Miss You” is a hit, but you’re hitting low-hanging pop punk fruit here.

The worst part though? SHE SINGS FOUR LINES BEFORE THE PRE-CHORUS COMES BACK INTO THE SONG. She’s the redeeming factor of this track. She doesn’t have a terrible voice. She’s pretty and provides the narrative contrast to a so far confusing son. Why in the world are you only giving her four unique lines before shoeing her into the chorus?

“I know it breaks your heart/ Moved to the city blah blah blah blah”

Same lyrical content over again. You’ve heard this song, so you know it repeats this pre-chorus and chorus another time in a charming (eh) duet before finishing the track in anthemic shouts of “We ain’t ever getting older” over the same lazy beat and same three or four electronic chords that have plagued the entire song.

And that’s the track.

So what does this story tell us? I honestly couldn’t tell you. The narrative is cloudy and the music is too devoid of variety to be able to make anything out.

The best I can tell you is that these are obviously the rantings of a drunkard and his borderline kleptomaniac ex-girlfriend. They find each other again in the archetypal CITY and hook up in a station wagon and that is the song.

This is pop music.

I don’t like this song. It’s lyrically dumb, instrumentally inept, and vocally horrifying.

That being said, I know a lot of people do (897,256,229 plays on spotify and counting). Honestly, there’s really nothing wrong with liking this music. The music industry has spent decades and billions of dollars engineering pop music to be aesthetically pleasing, so it makes sense that people out there like this track. I just can’t be one of those people.

At the end of the day though, I spent an hour or two typing all of this and I learned something. I really am no better than Andrew Taggart. As I said earlier, “Closer” is just the ranting and raving of a post-hook-up, drunk boy in the city. This review is nothing more than the ranting and raving of a no-hook-up, sober boy in the country. The only difference is I don’t have festival headlining appearances and 39 million monthly listeners. Which, truth be told, is probably for the best.

So that’s that. My review of “Closer” by the Chainsmokers featuring Halsey. If I had to assign it a value, I’d give it a 1.5 star out of 5. If you’ve read this far, god bless you, you crazy person. If you gave up long ago, I honestly don’t blame you.

2 notes · View notes

ecoamerica · 21 days

Text

youtube

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

5K notes · View notes

itsjustacat · 6 years

Text

Love yourself answer first listen

I know I am late to the party, but here are my thoughts from a first run through of the album. I got CDs in, fancy bluetooth earphones in, I’m ready. Not reading lyrics this time through.

Euphoria JK sounds so good. 😍 It sounds just so fun, like a summer evening and there’s not a care in the world, but wondering around daydreaming and having fun. What, what is that bridge?? What’s that ending, the harmonies. It wasn’t in the original! Oh, I’m happy we got this version.

Trivia: Just Dance Such a Hobi song. Nice heavy bass beat to move to, but chill at the same time. Oh, the warble noise and the panning from left to right. Actually Hobi is singing! He’s got a lovely voice, we should hear him more often. OK, I’m dancing now.

Serendipity Aaah this has been a favorite already in the original version. Yes, you are a calico cat JM. You can love me and touch me anytime. Ohh guitar strumming. This is making me feel so warm inside, I have a big smile on. 😊 Ah, the bass and back vocals in the extended part are giving me goosebumps. How can anyone resist JM, I don’t understand?

DNA No surprise here. Tae’s voice really sets the tone for that one. DNA, lalailalala, lalailalala.

Dimple A bit surprised they included that song. It took me a few listening originally to realize it was vocal line only, lol. Lol how they say girl/illegal/illegirl.

Trivia: Love Wow. Piano yes. I need to get the lyrics on that one, I feel I’m missing a lot here. Yes, give me that piano. The chorus sounds so symphonic. You just want to raise your arms up and just swing. Who’s singing? Is that JK? Wait, that’s a trumpet? Horn? I can tell this is going to be a favorite.

Her Is that the original? Did they remix it?

Singularity Aaah, I love this. I feel it in my bones. Tae’s voice is best suited to this kind of jazzy style.

Fake Love I’ve listened to that one so much in the last couple months, I can see them popping on the dwob dwob in the chorus. I can also tell the exact moment JK exposes his abs too lol.

The Truth Untold Hands down one of the best written song structurally. I’ve already spent a super long post just on that, so I won’t go on. I still want you, but I still want you, and I still want you...

Trivia: Seesaw Is that YG’s voice? What?!? What? He’s leaving me breathless. I’m kind of surprise it’s so upbeat. But at the same time, the lyrics could be the opposite of the music, knowing YG. Ah, I still can’t get over his non-rapping kinda singing voice. Wait, that backing vocal is definitely a female voice. Who is that?

Tear I love how it start quiet, then they just rip into it. And in the end, you can hear their breathing.

Epiphany I think I just love the intros. Each have their own charm. This sounds so Jin, I don’t think any other of the vocal line could have carried this song like he does. Wait, there’s a bridge???? Yes, I knew that cut off in the rain sounded too abrupt!! What is this melody? You’re aiming for my heart Jin. Oh that sounds so good, the fullness with Jin’s voice, the harmonies, the instruments.

I’m Fine What? This is the beginning of save me? What is this? I’m not fine. Whhhhaaaaaat??? The chorus? the build up? NO, I’m not fine. What is that high pitched synth? Woo so quick, is it speeding up? lol I’ve like just asked questions during this song? Like what is this? Honestly if this was the main track instead of Idol I would have been happy with that. Can we get an MV please? One take like Save me?

Idol YEAS. I’m here to party! Already wrote a long ass post on this.

Answer: Love Myself Is that JM’s voice? it sound too sweet. Ok, what did they do to their voice, JK also sounds so sweet. Such positive vibes, not like BTS. lol sounds like a girl group song. I really like it Epiphany is the opening, and this is the perfect closing.

Magic Shop This is the perfect fan song. Like if I was a fan of anyone artist and they made a song like this dedicated to me, I would feel like this. Haha, that did not make any sense. Although BTS is a big hole I fell into, I’m happy it was them, because they give back so much. I’m in that hole, but I’ve never in the dark or hungry, since they feed me so well.

Best of Me Honestly, it took a few listen for me to like it. Parts of it sounded just too “chainsmokers” for me. I mean, all chainsmokers songs kinda sound the same, especially the beat in the chorus, so when you listen to one, it feels like you’ve heard them all. But I do like the bridge with JM and JK, and the overall rap line parts.

Airplane pt2 Ah, the latin beats. They are really international now. Can you dance salsa on this? I think the use of the stand mic during the choreo is the best part of this. The NM/Jin exchange, so dynamic.

Gogo Every time I hear this, I can only picture the dance practice with the costumes on. The irony of the words and the meaning. I guess all millenials feel the same no matter the society, with the baby boomers preceding them.

Anpaman That took a few listen to like it. I much prefer the rap part here than the vocal part. I find autotune is overly used to my liking for the “waiting for you anpaman” part, you can barely recognize who is singing. But I do like the dodododo descending drum, and the other singing non-autotune parts.

Mic Drop To be honest, I prefer the original version over the Steve Aoki remix. Is it just my earphones, or does the beat sound much more pronounced? Still pretty hype song. Love YG’s part, he sounds so cocky, he’s got all the swag.

DNA remix WHAT????? OMG I LOVE THIS!!!!!! I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS. This is straight out of my teen jrock phase. I can’t believe this. This is my favorite remix. If they perform this live, I hope they wear leather, forgo the choreo and go with lots of jumping around, get some long wigs on to whip the hair around 😁😁😁

Fake Love remix Ok, I’ve heard this before, so I’m not surprise. I’m old, so I do prefer the “rock” vibe.

Mic Drop Steve Aoki remix I think I just don’t like that kind of horn sound in the back, which is why I don’t like that remix as well. Oh I see, it’s the extended version with the dance break. Which by the way, I have to mention those body rolls. I mean I thought there was a limit of body rolls where it’s too much, but they prove me wrong.

Phew, we’re done. I gotta listen to the new tracks a couple more times to get a real feel of it, but none of them disappoint. And especially the rap line trivias. Wow. I thought they would be kind of short track, like a filler, but they stand by themselves. I thought they were like the outros, but no, I have to look at the lyrics. I like how they structured the album: intro, main tracks, trivia, outro. And the ultimate outro: the Answer is to Love Myself.

#namjoon #jin #yoongi #hoseok #taehyung #jimin #jungkook #love yourself answer

0 notes

reading-hub · 5 years

Text

Dandy And The Jet 🚀 [2] Bar Fights, Baby!

- Space Dandy x reader -

[part 1] [part 3]

- - - - - - -

After transported from Dr. Gel's ship, I finally reached the targets next location. Looking around my surroundings, apparently, this Dandy guy was on his way to some sleazy alien bar.

Walking straight to the front door, the locals surrounding the place here were as shady as they come. Cheeky con aliens looking for their next sucker, prostitutes out in the open without a care in the world, muscular alien bikers that were almost seven feet tall who meant business and I mean really mean it!

The inside of the bar was warm but almost lack oxygen with so many creatures inside because of the insane amount huddled together like sardines, a human-like me wouldn't be noticed right off the bat. Unless I tried to engage in conversation with anyone. The floor was sticky - I swore some large blue alien got knocked over and couldn't get his face off the tile when he landed face first.

Luckily, a few seats in front of the bar itself weren't taken. I sat down. Once I did, a tall slim pink alien woman with three tentacles came to my seat. She was friendly but frightening to look at first glance. She brightly smiled at me with multiple small sharp rows of dark yellow teeth.

I ask for a simple Flaming Indigo, it was this purple colored alcoholic beverage that I kinda enjoyed to pass the time. It tasted of grape soda and coke and a hint of strong cinnamon from the fire that lit up before you drank it.

The barista served my drink in a matter of seconds. I stared down at the purple fizzles inside the cup and gulped it down. I asked to keep them coming while waiting for this Space Dandy.

What felt like hours, I told the alien barista to cut it with the drinks for a bit. A couple of people left the bar, so it was down to a fair few, no more crowds bumping into.

I heard the door sway open, I saw what it appeared to be him. Large slicked back pompadour, sideburns, varsity jacket, metal soles that clink. Just like Dr. Gel described.

The others were I'm guessing his group, a Betelgeusian and a small two-wheeled robot.

I tried to lay low, not seem like I'm staring at them so closely. Instead, I tried to stare down at my half-empty glass. I heard footsteps approach next to me unexpectedly, it was him and his crew. Dandy sat next to me, unaware I was next to him.

"I can't believe that the alien we caught was just some shape-shifter!" hearing the alien cat groan in stress. Dandy shook off his complaint. "Eh, it happens. Hey waitress! How about a drink for my pet over here!" Dandy cried out. "Hey! I'm not your pet!" I heard right after.

Dandy laughed it off and stopped suddenly. "Hey, do you by any chance have a locator with ya, mine kinda broke." I almost choked on my drink.

"Are you talking to me?" I asked, puzzled."Yeah, sorry for scaring you like that, hun." Did he just call me hun? Oh well, just play along.

"Than yeah, I have one."

"Oh sweet! See Meow, our luck is turning after all!" He moved his excitement to his cat friend. His friend named Meow just rolled his eyes in response.

"Any drinks your interested in this afternoon, sir?" The waitress from early asked. "Uhh, yeah.." Dandy was looking around until he spotted my drink.

"I'll have what she's having!" He pointed at me. I looked at him as though he was crazy. He saw my reaction, "You don't mind, right?"

Keeping my cool all I can say was, "Not at all." Showing a warm smile. "Cool." He said simply right after.

Before the waitress passed his drink, I felt a large figure approaching us. Stomps were vibrating the ground and our drinks. I was hesitating on fighting whoever was asking for it...

The stomps stopped right behind Dandy. My eyes cornered seeing a large red-orange alien, their hair was in a Mohawk, cliche I know but true. And judging by the black leather coat, he was one of the fearsome, tough bikers from outside.

"Excuse me, but your sitting in my seat.."

I heard Dandy's crew were freaking out in the sidelines, praying for Dandy not to die. I'm guessing they were thinking of either running away to the ship or stay and watch their leader get beaten to a pulp. Either way, something bad was about to unfold.

Dandy didn't even look back at the guy, he just sipped his drink without care! He probably thought he was some alien, but I think the logic would judge by the raspy voice that this large guy had was no one to fuck with. I'm gonna take a short wild guess that Dandy isn't exactly the smartest in the crew.

Crap.

"Sorry, but I took this seat first." Dandy, not sure if this is the time to act high and mighty. If he saw who he was talking to, he probably would've given up his seat in a matter of seconds.

The biker alien grabbed Dandy by the shoulders, hoisted him up like it was nothing. Turn his small form around to see a close up of his face. And being the few people who got a front-row seat, that was a face only a mother could love...

I couldn’t let Dandy die. I had to bring him to Dr. Gel or Admiral Perry alive. But that would mean I would have to break my nice, human attitude loose now if I really wanted him alive at the end of this task. Oh, fuck this.

I looked at my drink and saw it was empty now. Right on time.

I stood from my seat, smashed the rim of the glass on the hard bar counter. I took the now open sharp glass and used it to stab the alien biker on its thick skull. A bit over the top and extreme but punches wouldn’t get this guy to loosen Dandy.

It winced in pain and let go of Dandy, dropping him on the floor. As the large alien was crying in pain and trying to yank off the glass cup off his skull, I kicked as hard as I could on his side and made him fall onto the three tables that were next to him. Making it hard to get back up, and giving me some time to drag Dandy and his crew to safety.

"Come on you idiot!" He looked at me shocked, so did his friends but I didn't care. Getting impatient, I just grabbed both his hands to get him up faster. Pulling him away from the bar, his crew followed along by his cat friend holding that small robot from earlier and running behind me.

I quickly turn to Dandy as we were running. "Where’s your ship!" I urgently asked him. He was studdering at first but quickly regained his composure. "It's over there!" He pointed a few feet away which looked like a lot when running away from a huge biker alien that was capable of whatever the fuck, which I did not plan on finding out!

It was the large yellow canoe ship of some sort. I immediately pushed all three inside the ship and went straight to the now-closed front window, seeing the alien running toward us with that a glass shard still in his skull. How the hell is he still able to walk after that?!

I immediately turned my head to Dandy, seeing him still lounging on the floor. "We gotta move!" He and his crew looked at me in question. I jumped onto the main seat, good thing I at least knew the basics of piloting a ship, like when to go fast as you can as a huge alien is chasing us down as we speak!!

"Listen, lady, I--!" Before Dandy could finish his sentence, the front of the ship was forcibly grabbed suddenly. I saw that the biker from earlier was holding a grudge and wouldn't give up on it.

"Oh geez! He caught us like we're fish or something!" The alien cat cried out. “EEEE!!" The tiny robot cried after in autotune.

"Relax, I got this!" I immediately tried engaging the boosters as much as I can so this guy can let go as we rocket the fuck outta here. I concentrated until it was the right the time to let go and having all the booster bars full. Hearing Dandy and his crew telling me to hurry up because the alien was trying to break the glass frame.

Two bars, Meow was crying out and holding the robot.

Three bars, Dandy was crying out and tried to force me to start the ship now.

Four

Five, I blasted the ship right into the billboard sign, where that alien got impacted onto in seconds. We finally made it through. I heard silence now, guess it was lecture time. I put the ship on autopilot and faced Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

"What?" I asked them. Dandy seemed more offended than the other two. "What'ya mean what? No stranger is allowed to use the ship unless it's QT our robot here."

"You do remember that I saved you, right? You know, thanks for saving me from a seven feet tall alien that could've beaten me in juices." I defended myself.

"See Meow, this is exactly why I rarely take women in my crew unless I'm doing them in the behind." Meow and QT were looking back and forth to each other, back to Dandy.

"I don't know man, I mean she did save you, we saw it," Meow said simply. "Adding on, she has sharp and quick combat skills that none of us have in this group." QT agreed.

Dandy looked at them as though they were entirely different people. "Crew meeting now!"

Meow, QT and Dandy went to a different room. You were still standing in the pilot room, looking where the ship will take next.

"What exactly are you two saying by 'group' and 'adding'?" Dandy asked, directly at QT who he quoted said line. QT responded. “I'm saying she would be a great addition to the crew, no offense Dandy, but when was the last time you shot anything with that ray gun of yours?" Dandy felt offended. How can QT bring up his poor marksmanship like that, especially since he would assume that she would be better at shooting than he would!

But, that robot is right. She would be a good use for the team for a little while... Dandy thought.

"Yeah, I like her!" Meow jumped in. "She seems cool and did you see how badass she was when she saved you from that guy! We thought you were gonna die this time."

It's so nice to know that my crew did not think I would live today.

"Alright, alright, cool it!" Dandy said to pipe them down. They looked at Dandy, waiting for what he was gonna say next.

Maybe it was time to finally have a female member in the group. Meow and QT seemed esthetic about her being here already, Other than Dandy kind of. Dandy just looked back in the small window seeing her.

She was good at starting Aloha Ole with no hesitation, and she saved my ass back there, and hot while doing it.

Although now that I'm looking at her backside a bit, she does have a body that she's comfortable with having. I'd give her booty a 7/10 at most. Something that I wouldn't mind looking at when bored but also wouldn't get too distracted by in a serious and tough situation.

What felt like painstaking minutes for Dandy to respond, he finally spoke.

“She...she can stay."

All three of them finally left the other room and went to where she was. Hands in Dandy’s pocket, sucking up with what he had to say but needed to!

"I'm sorry." Her eyebrows rose a little but not too much. "Miss, would you like to be apart of the Space Dandy crew?" Meow and QT were silently pleading in the sidelines.

Her face lit up a little bit. She mentally check-marked the first step of the mission. She never thought she’d get this far already, she mainly expected to stealthily east drop places to see them. But hey, crazy luck. Realizing they were waiting for a response, she spoke. "Alright, I always did wanted to be part of a crew." She shrugged.

Both Meow and QT wanted to celebrate that a new member was finally accepted.

Meow and QT cheered on and quickly had the idea of celebrating a new member for a 'celebration snack'?

They left soon after, meanwhile, she was left with Dandy alone, standing a few feet away from each other. Let awkward silence ensue.

"I'm sorry for saying that your a stranger and taking you from... behind." Dandy looked down, a little bit ashamed for what he said earlier. Not expecting Meow and QT to leave that fast.

"It's fine, I mean, I technically am a stranger to you guys and that last part is none of my business and I shouldn't judge you for that as a person." Someone that understands his pervy tendencies and is hot! Dandy actually doesn’t regret letting her stay now...

Before they can end this awkward back and forth conversation and calling it a night. Dandy forgot the crucial part of getting to know someone.

“By the way, I didn't catch your name?"

#space dandy x reader #space dandy #hubbywritings

9 notes · View notes