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nor-4 · 2 months

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Taking care of Sick Geto

Geto Suguru x Reader

"Geto let go I'm gonna pee" You said as you tried shaking geto off, it's been around 8 hours ever since both of you found out that geto is sick.

After that it's like you are trapped in a cage since geto wanted to hug you all day. "Nooo.. Can you hold it for a minute?" he murmured in your chest as he held you waist a bit tighter which makes you wanna take a pee more.

"I'm sweating bullets, it's already hot and you decided to hug me.." You tried reasoning as you try to shake of from his arms, "Not my fault you looks so huggable" He said as he readjusted his arms almost hitting the bowl from the night table that is filled with soup from earlier morning that you made so the medicine will be more effective for him.

Once geto re adjusted you took the advantage to get up from the bed which made the bed rise a little.

You and getou's shared house is not too fancy like those houses you find on pinterest, but sure is cozy and warm that makes you feel really welcome. A type of house that you will be comfortable to have a sleep over with, pantries filled with foods and snacks that geto sure will be nagging about when both of you are out for grocery, those neat looking kitchen that those Asian moms would love.

The living room that kids love because of those consoles and games that geto own, it's a safe place for both of you when all you just wanted was to hug each other while watching.

"I think I'm gonna die.." Geto said looking at you as he was sitting on the floor on the door of the bathroom like a kid as you do your business on the bathroom, "You're not don't worry." You said as you are scrolling through your phone.

"what's taking you so long? Are you shitting?" he nagged you again while giggling, his voice is a bit deeper, more raspy and airy than his normal voice. You always tease him about that because you said that he sound like a kid Justin bieber.

"Maybe you wouldn't know." You shrugged as you wash your self up and flushed the toilet really quick so geto wouldn't even try to take a peak, "Ewww it stinks" Geto acted as he pinch his nose as you walk by.

"Stop acting, you won't act like that later on when you couldn't breath on your other nostril." You said as you headed down stairs to make both of you a meal, this will be the third time that both of you eat. It's very rare for both of you to eat more than three time a day, you guys only did this when either both of you are sick.

Geto followed you like a lost kid as he walk lazily around the house, "I'm not feeling vegetables right now" he complained as he sat down near the stove so he will still be near you.

"Then don't eat, might as well make your cold worse." You stated as you started chopping the vegetables as geto sang lazily to the song you played, it's a habit of you to play music while cooking. Geto remembers the time when he wasn't sick he would dance around just to annoy you or just to enjoy the time with you.

You remembered the time where geto memorized the whole choreo of water by tyla just for you to watch him dance the whole song.

Your mind didn't have the capacity of a phone nor the smartest person on earth. But you remember every detail of it, you remember how much he made you so happy, how much effort he did just to make you laugh after a very busy and stressful week.

"God you're so beautiful.." Geto whispered as you looked at him seeing him looking at you with agape mouth, "I think I should marry you for the 100 times... Noo it's not enough, I should marry you on every chance I get. You know if you are sick, like really sick that there is no other cure than for me to die. I would rather die happy that I get to be loved by you."

Geto said this the time you said yes to him being your beloved of your life forever. He still remembers every detail even the tone he had while saying this, he always have a deja vu everytime he says this it was a good deja ju. A euphoria of the time where he vowed to never make you feel unwanted, unloved or anything that will make you sad. The time he vowed to love you in every aspect of your life, the time he said gratefully that he will love you even as a worm.

"You're being-" you are about to talk but geto keeps shushing you, "Oh girl now let's not ruin the moment." he sassed as you giggled while handling him the plate.

"I'd rather eat dick than eat vegetables all day.." Geto said raising his eyebrows on the vegetables, as you laugh smacking the sickness out of his system.

#geto suguru x reader #jujutsu geto #jujutsu kaisen x reader #geto x reader #jjk geto #geto suguru

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reasonsmandy · 8 months

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Took you long enough

Warren Rojas x Fem!Reader

✧.* requested by anon — could you write a warren rojas x reader where it’s readers first time seeing warren not high. like she kinda realised that he’s this beautiful, adorable person that isn’t just a comedic relief side character. thanks! xx

✧.* summary — It wasn't often that you saw Warren sober, you could count the times on one hand. And on New Year's Eve when he showed himself vulnerable to you, something changed.

✧.* warnings — none.

✧.* word count — 2.5k

✧.* 🥁 — Warren's masterlist

✧.* mandy's notes — Such a joy writing this, thank you so much for the ask. Hope you like it, good reading.

Interviewer: Do you remember when you fell in love with him?

Y/n L/n: *smiles* Actually yeah…

You packed your jacket for the second time before leaving the house, wondering if you had everything in hand to enjoy your New Year's Eve at Camila and Billy's house. A few weeks ago you were all smoking on the porch of the old place where you all lived and had the idea to celebrate Billy's sobriety.

You had been the band's closest friend since they moved into the house next to yours. You were so excited by the idea of having artists like you so close that it didn't take long to be in their presence. When you met you still had no more than a supporting role in some simple jobs out there, so you spent your afternoons memorizing scripts as they rehearsed their songs.

You saved Christmas to spend with your family, but you'd be lying if you didn't say you were thinking about meeting up with your friends throughout the event.You go to knock on the door of Camila's house, strangely nervous, even though you knew that everyone there loved you very much, you still felt afraid that you were being an interruption in the get-together of friends for years. Before you can knock the drummer's voice makes you jump in fright.

“Hey bella, took you long enough.” His voice was in a different tone, you turn to look at him and see him completely dressed in black.

You take a moment to let your heart beats regulate, also taking advantage of the same to observe the man next to you. The drummer's chest was covered by a black transparent mesh shirt, his pants were also black with some metallic stones adorning them. Still on his torso was a leather jacket and his neck contained a necklace with tiny drumsticks, his curls were wet so you deduced that he had just got out of the shower.

“Fuck Rojas! You scared the hell out of me!” You say putting your hands automatically to his chest, he can't help but laugh.

Observing his face now more calmly you see him with a softer expression, almost one that you don't usually see every time you are next to him. He notices you paying more attention to his features.

“What?” He asks, his arms crossed in curiosity.

“You look different, I don't know.” Your smile widens, Rojas' presence always did that to you.

“Oh, it must be because we're all clean tonight. You know, to celebrate Billy’s thing.” He says exactly, really glad that they were doing this for their friend.

Your face drops, “Oh no, Cami didn't tell me anything… I brought, you know, nevermind. I'll just keep them in the car.”

Warren walks with you to your car, and even though you tried to hide his presence it still affected you. A few weeks ago you had spent the entire night with him on the porch of your house, after inviting everyone to dinner there, he had been the only one to stay after one in the morning.

And after this interaction there was a tension that could be palpable between you, but as the drummer was always dancing in jokes and humor in any subject you never thought it was something to discuss again. When you get to your car he rests his hand on the hood, watching your every movement, you feel nervous but he loves watching you closely.

“Just out of curiosity, what did you bring?” He speaks with a smirk, you hit him on the shoulder, rolling your eyes while laughing.

“No no no, let's keep the promise for Billy.” You close the door of your car and when you are about to go towards the door once again he grabs your hand, making you turn around.

“Are you sure? There's still time." He jokes, you grab his hand and pull him towards the door “Alright Alright, you make the calls cariño.”

Interviewer: Wait wait, but what happened the night on your balcony?

Y/n L/n: *blushes* First of all I'd like to make it clear that I was really high…

The sky was getting completely dark when you were smoking your fourth cigarette, your friends had stopped there for dinner and they had said goodbye not long ago. You exhale the smoke forward knowing you were alone, feeling the early morning breeze hit your body like a hug. As you feel the wave hit your brain, your muscles relax, and you let yourself lean on the counter while relaxedly observing the lonely street.

Warren had left with the others, but as he walked to his house he stopped at the door, Karen entered next to Graham but he didn't notice. Eddie notices when Rojas thinks twice about entering, so he watches what the drummer is going to do or what's stopping him.

“You good there?” He asks yawning, the dark surroundings making it easier for his body to seek rest.

Warren could see your body on the balcony of your house, the dim light in your room illuminated you from behind and the view he had of your figure puffing cigarette smoke was majestic. There had been a time when the drummer's dark eyes observed your person with a different affection, where just your presence caused sensations that he enjoyed discovering.

He nods to Eddie's question, turning to him. “Are you guys okay without me?”

“You wanna go back to y/n's?” Eddie asks with a smirk, weariness visible in his eyes.

He opened his mouth to respond, but he only had one answer. He nods, and Eddie does the same with pride, turning to enter the house.

You can see the curly head heading back towards your home, and you just turn your head to the side trying to understand what could have happened. You hear four knocks on the door, a pause for two more knocks and finally a light knock, you smile a little.

“It's open Warren!” You scream so he hears, and soon afterwards you hear his steps up the stairs.

You hear the silence again and turn to find the drummer watching you in the doorway, you see his chest only with the classic vest, this time the one with a donkey on the back. You approach him, resting both hands on his shoulders.

Y/n L/n: Very high…

“You're back.” You smile and he does the same, you admire his face and he feels naked under your gaze.

“You asked me to bella.” He answers, Wrapping you in his arms as he looks deep into your eyes. “Come, let's sit down.”

He takes you to the padded bench that was on your balcony, as soon as you do so, he goes towards your room.

“No Warren, please don't leave.” You complain, as you feel the drugs intensifying.

“Calm down, I'm not going anywhere.” He returns from your room with a blanket that was on your bed, wrapping it around his back and then wrapping it around him. “Estoy aquí niña, now tell me, what you wanted to talk to me about?”

“You keep appearing in my dreams Rojas.” You talk slurred, you hear him giggling and you break away to look at him.

“And what do I do, uh?” He teases you, kissing the top of your head.

“Usually we are like this, which is confusing, you know? ” He listens to you calmly, and you feel that the drugs leave your filter behind. “Because I never know if you're serious when it comes to anything. But we are like this, all my doubts and insecurities are gone and I just feel you protecting me from everything.”

“You really think I'm able to do that?” Warren feels his heart speed up, his arms pulling you closer with urgency.

“Yes, I honestly think so.” You mumble against his chest, snuggling closer. “It's just, ugh…”

“And what's wrong with it, hermosa?”

“That they are just dreams.” You speak in a whisper. Letting yourself finally fall asleep.

Y/n L/n: I mean, later he told me all that happened that night, because I remembered just flashes of it.

Warren Rojas: *smiles shyly*

Eddie Roundtree: Hear me out, everyone and their mothers knew that Warren and Y/n had feelings for each other, since day one they just connected. But on New Year's Eve, it was different.

Karen Sirko: Y/n was radiant, she looked at Warren in a way I've only seen... Nevermind *says shyly*

The rest of the band was in the living room while you and Rojas were cooking, or better, he was watching you cook. He watches you leaning on a counter while smiling at your every move, he loved watching you and you knew that and loved it.

“I know you are watching me Rojas.” You say while mixing the salad.

He comes closer, laying his body close to you. “I wasn’t trying to hide it.” He shrugs, and you roll your eyes playfully.

There was something about Warren's presence that you had never noticed before, he seemed to actually be there, by your side and one hundred percent present. You liked that.

“What was the first song you learned to play on the drums?” You ask without precepts, catching him by surprise with your sudden interest.

“I think it was something like...” He opens the cupboard under the sink, taking out two pans and pots, you immediately let out a laugh. He starts drumming a random beat that sounds more like noise. Looking at you as if he felt complete in your joyful reactions. “Thoughts?”

You burst into laughter, he smiles with his eyes shining. “So many.” You say when you finish laughing, wiping the corners of your eyes that had a little water in them.

“I always played, Mi Abuelo had a drum kit and that's where I started to learn. Ever since I was a kid, I would go there and pretend I knew what I was doing. Until I understood how the basics worked, and from then on, well... It became my fixation, it was all I wanted to do twenty-four hours a day.”

You smile genuinely in awe. “You were definitely born for this. Seriously, you’re the best drummer I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh stop, you don't mean that.” Warren Rojas was shy, you were in shock.

You let go of what you were doing, since you had promised that he would be the one to put everything in a container when ready. Wiping your hands on the nearest towel and turning to him with a serious look.

“I do, you're amazing.” Your gaze penetrating his eyes was the reason his legs were shaking.

“Gracias…” He says scratching the back of his head. "Means a lot.”

You see more than sincerity in his eyes, you see dedication, it was a type of intimacy that he had never had with anyone and that's when you felt that he allowed you to read him. Warren feels his heart beating like an animal desperate to free itself from its cage, he thought it was the absence of drugs in his system but it was actually the release of another hormone, he was falling in love.

He fakes a cough to bring back the air of simplicity, failing in one of his goals. “What about you cariño? Since when did you know what you wanted to do?”

You let out a sigh, raising your hand and calling him closer with your index and upper finger, he approaches you. You take your hands to the collar of his jacket, asking permission to remove it, he just agrees and so you do.

You position yourself behind him, removing your apron to tie it around his waist, Rojas closes his eyes feeling your touch in fear that it would end soon, and opens them when he feels you away.

You look at him once again, with curiosity, deciphering what was hovering between you. “I'm an artistic person, as long as I'm connected to art I feel good. When I turned fifteen I was in a play in my hometown, and found momentary but welcoming homes on each stage where I brought a character to life. That was the moment I knew.”

As you say it, you guide him around the kitchen, indicating what he should do. And during all those seconds, all Warren wanted was to put it all down and memorize your every move.

He focuses on the ingredients for the first time, which makes you surprised, but it was the only way he had the courage to say what he wanted. He feels his heart racing once again, is this what being sober is?

“Eres arte, hermosa.” He whispers, and you frown trying to understand. He tries once more. “You are art, you're just… perfect.”

Your mind and body stops for a moment, you widen your eyes. He takes a few steps back, taking off the apron and putting his jacket back on. You immediately rush over to him, cupping his face in your hands.

“Do you mean that?” You ask, afraid of the answer. “Please, tell me you do.” You whisper, like your body was begging for you to get closer to him already.

“I do.” He replies, taking his hands to your waist. “You are art, and I would spend days analyzing every detail of you.”

As your eyes locked, an overwhelming sense of tenderness washed over both of you. The kitchen's aromas faded into the background, and it was as though the entire universe had conspired to bring you to this moment.

Without haste, you pressed your lips to his in a gentle, lingering kiss. It was a meeting of souls that had been separated for far too long, a kiss that held the weight of a lifetime of unspoken love. Warren pulls you closer, feeling every curve of your body as he promises to “analyze every detail of you”.

The world seemed to hold its breath as your lips danced together, a delicate and cherished connection. Each brush of your lips conveyed the depth of your affection, a love that had patiently waited for its time to bloom. You play with the curly strands of his hair, showing urgency at this moment, for him, for both of you.

Time stood still as you shared that kiss, a moment suspended in eternity. It was a kiss that whispered of a profound bond, of two soulmates reunited at last, afraid to let go, lest this precious moment vanish like a dream.

When you finally parted, there was a softness in your gaze, and a huge smile on his face, you caressed his cheeks feeling his unshaven beard almost meeting his mustache, he plays with your shirt as if trying to keep his hands to himself.

“Thank God!” Eddie's voice makes you both jump in fright. “Took you long enough!”

Eddie Roundtree: We were starving!! They wouldn't come back. *Shrugs*

...

Hi, I hope you enjoyed it... If you wanted to ask for something my requests are open, and if you want to ask and don't have any ideas check out my prompt list :) xoxo

Check out my Warren's series

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montrealmadison · 4 months

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congrats on hitting 400 followers and thank you for including us in the celebration! um ... I'm choosing zimbits and number 42 and as for general special requests, I would never say no to some hurt/comfort? (I think you have a good sense of the vibes I gravitate toward but you always do that particular trope so well.)

-doggernaut

my darling, i love writing hurt/comfort for you and you really could not have picked a better song. anything for you beyoncé!!

42. zimbits + hurt/comfort + All Night by Beyoncé for @doggernaut

I found the truth beneath your lies And true love never has to hide I’ll trade your broken wings for mine I’ve seen your scars and kissed your crime

Half-awake, the first thing out of Bitty’s mouth is, “We have gotta stop meeting like this.”

Jack’s answering laugh is wrong, comes from too high up. There’s light pouring in through the windows when Bitty blinks—weird, he could have sworn he closed the blinds last night—and when he rolls over, expecting to meet Jack’s face on the opposite pillow, he finds his hip instead.

Bitty’s head hurts, which could really be from anything: lack of sleep, unshed tears, the anticipation of a hangover. “Honey?”

Jack looks down and down at him. From this angle he’s a giant, all sharpness, features starkly out of sync with the glorious summer sunrise. “Morning.”

“Mmph.” The sheets are warm on Bitty’s bare back as he rolls over, yawning. “How long you been awake?”

The fact that Jack doesn't say anything is what finally shocks Bitty back to life.

read more below or on ao3 | request a fic here

This summer has mostly been a dream, because not only does Bitty love living with Jack, he also loves that they're good at it. It's addictive to know that they're compatible this way too, makes the thought of the two of them as partners feel settled and real. He likes the way they work together in the kitchen. He likes the way Jack’s voice carries when he sings in the shower; likes knowing that Jack sings in the shower, period, Patsy Cline and Bob Dylan and once, memorably, Carrie Underwood. He likes snuggling up to watch a movie on the couch and dozing off with Jack’s hands in his hair. Most of all, he likes sharing their bed—sleeps so much better with Jack’s big, warm body beside his.

There are trade-offs to that, like the fact that he hasn’t spoken to his parents in two weeks. And the fact that he was barely able to enjoy their bed last night because he was pacing the living room rather than disturbing Jack's attempts at meaningful rest. And the fact that Jack is currently watching himself miss the same shot over and over and over again, breathing just this side of too heavy for Bitty’s liking.

It’s five-thirty in the morning on a day that might make or break them, and Bitty’s had enough.

"Jack," he says, some heft in it now. "How long?"

Jack scrubs his hands over his face, glances out the windows and then at the time on his phone. He’s obviously a little surprised to see the sun rising. “Since you went to bed.”

Bitty had finally crawled under the covers to a half-awake and very worried Jack at 2:15. The fact that he'd apparently slept right through Jack's ensuing three-hour self-flagellation session doesn't sit right in his chest at all.

“Okay—uh, okay." He frees a hand from the blankets with exaggerated care and sets it lightly on the top of Jack’s screen. "Well, first things first, sweetpea, this isn’t useful, it’s torture," he says. "Can I?”

He's expecting pushback, but apparently that's all he had to say to break the dam and make the tension drain from Jack’s shoulders. He nods, slow and unwilling. None of that, Bitty thinks. He shuts the laptop firmly, gets up on his elbow, ducks under Jack’s arm to nudge him softly in the ribs.

“Why don't you come down here,” he says, trying to keep his tone light. “You’re real tall up there.”

Jack’s answering laugh sounds brittle, but he does curl down into Bitty's arms. Add that to the ever-growing list of things Bitty's been surprised by: Jack Zimmermann is the little spoon. Bitty pulls him in, watches the sun start to track above the buildings, and thinks about things that are unfair.

The road to hell is paved with a solid game plan. From the minute the Falcs made the conference finals, Jack has been in regular touch with George and the med staff. He's been seeing his therapist weekly. He's been talking to Bitty and his parents, and when they've lost he's been sad, but he hasn't withdrawn the way Bitty might have expected him to.

They've gone through so much together, all of it leading them here. They've negotiated sex and coming out to their friends and fought about who gets to pay for things. There's trust between them in a way that Bitty has never felt before. He'd felt so adult, keeping a secret as big as Jack Zimmermann to himself all school year; now Bitty has a much better sense of the commitment he signed up for. He's had to learn how to talk through a panic attack and which secrets are okay to keep and, most of all, what real love is: all-consuming, disgusting and vulnerable, terrifying in its intensity, and always, always worth it.

“We’re so close,” says Jack unprompted, muffled because he’s speaking into Bitty's collarbone. “I—Bits. We’re so close."

“You are."

It sounds so simple, but Bitty knows it’s not—knows how much is riding on this game, for Jack and for the Falcs and for so many others. He wants to be able to swallow Jack whole, to carve out a warm place inside him and keep Jack safe in it forever. It would be easier than trying to come up with the right thing to say to make this better.

"What if this is it?"

Jack's voice is tiny and terrified. Bitty feels like someone's reached into his chest and cracked his heart open with both hands.

"Say more," he prompts gently. "The end of the series?"

"The—just." Jack breathes out hard. "This is it. If we lose, it's all over. Everyone was right about me. Right?"

Oh, honey. "Jack," Bitty says. "No."

He can't say he doesn't understand the temptation to think that way. Tonight is everything Jack's been working towards for twenty-five years. Tonight's results will be writ large over Jack's entire career. But—

"Tell me if I'm hearing this right?"

Jack squeezes him tighter. "Okay."

"It's going to be the end of something, one way or another." Bitty threads his hands through Jack’s hair and gently works the tangles out of it, the way Jack’s done for him so many times. "And I know that's scary. But it's not the end."

There's going to be another game, ten games, eighty-two. The people who love Jack, love them both, aren't going anywhere. Once, Bitty believed that the force of his own will had to be enough to convince Jack of its righteousness. Now—well, Jack breathes, pushes up hungrily into Bitty's hands, and Bitty knows that sometimes love means a blind leap into someone else's hands, trusting them to be there when you fall.

"Is that what feels bad right now? That they're gonna—take it all away from you, if tonight doesn't go well?"

Another long breath. Jack's voice is low, low. "Doesn't make as much sense when you say it out loud."

"Well." Bitty shrugs. "That's anxiety, baby."

Jack grunts. "Sucks."

"Yeah," Bitty says, and suddenly they're laughing, all shaken up and nowhere to go. The tension's broken, though, and the line of Jack's shoulders doesn't feel as hard under Bitty's hands, so he allows himself to feel very tentatively pleased.

“No matter what,” he starts to say, and Jack stills again, listening. “No matter what, we are going to be there for you. Your team and your parents and all our friends and me, baby. We’re not going anywhere no matter what happens tonight.”

Bitty's not sure if he's satisfied with that, but Jack murmurs something that sounds like thanks, so. He'll take it for now.

When the sun has risen too far for them to ignore, Bitty coaxes Jack into the shower and spends a good twenty minutes puttering around the kitchen, meticulously assembling the best pregame PB&J ever concocted by man. It grounds him a little, helps him sink back into his body; things here are still real, are familiar in a way that means something. When Jack emerges from the bedroom around ten, suited up with a game face to match, Bitty's smile takes less effort than before.

“Hey, handsome.” He steps away from the counter and into the warm, willing circle of Jack’s arms. It's glorious when Jack smells expensive like this, new linen and Armani cologne, and Bitty breathes him in appreciatively.

“Hi,” Jack says, quiet but not as brittle as before. “What do you think? You like it?”

“The day I answer no to that question is the day I am dead in the ground.” Bitty twirls the end of Jack’s tie around one finger. “How you feelin’?”

Jack’s breath ruffles Bitty’s hair when he leans down to tuck his nose into it. “Still scared,” he says. “But, uh, good, I think. I don't know. Better than this morning? Thanks for getting me out of my head.”

For the first time, Bitty lets himself imagine what tonight might bring. The fridge is stocked with enough ingredients for at least twelve mourning pies and enough pasta to feed a small army of sad friends; coming home to that is a definite possibility, the only one Bitty has really let himself focus on. But there's a sparkling alternative, dripping in champagne and smothered in laughter, that Bitty knows for a fact Ransom has already made the playlist for. There's a world in which this all goes right. They just have to be brave enough to make it there.

“Things can be scary and good at the same time,” Bitty says into the perfect knot of Jack's tie.

He feels Jack smile; a tiny, hopeful thing. “You’re telling me.”

#omgcp #omgcheckplease #jack zimmermann #eric bittle #zimbits #my writing #efickegster 2024

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randomvarious · 5 months

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Today's mix:

Fuse Presents Hell by Hell 2000 House / Techno / Deep House / Electro / New Wave

Goddamn, man, I'm not gonna say outright that this mix in particular is the greatest shit in the world—although it's pretty close!—but the ethos behind it certainly represents what has ultimately led to some of the most astonishing sets that we've ever had the pleasure of witnessing as a species. There's this late 70s-and-80s-rooted spirit that's equal parts unpredictable and eclectic, in which the overall route of the set doesn't feel pre-planned at all, because the DJ takes risks by linking tracks together that you yourself would never expect to hear in succession. The overall journey from point A to point B that you get taken on is one that's long and winding and full of surprises, and the DJ themselves doesn't really have any particular destination in mind to begin with either, because the perpetual question that's always most immediately on their mind is, "hmm, what banger do I want to play next? 🤔"

And I feel like this flying-by-the-seat-of-its-pants approach to DJing has largely faded from the limelight and has gradually been replaced by either the DJ who specializes in one specific dance subgenre that's in one specific range of BPMs for a whole set, or the DJ who just plays mindless EDM claptrap from a pre-loaded USB stick 😒. All of it's so safe and hermetically sealed shut. Where's the danger, the fun, and variety of it all?

See, what you really have to understand here is that there was no place on the planet that was more sonically diverse than your typical late 70s and 80s dancefloor. House, freestyle, synthpop, disco, hi-NRG, pop, post-disco, art punk, art rock, art pop, electro, hip hop, funk, boogie, post-punk, new wave, dance-pop, dancehall, two-tone ska, glam rock, sophisti-pop, soul, alternative dance, R&B, etc., etc., etc., all had the potential to be played at any given moment during a set, and the ultimate job of the DJ was to craft a breathtaking sonic collage out of any of it.

And that's exactly what Germany's DJ Hell channeled here with this commercial mix from 2000 for the second ever installment in Belgian club Fuse's own series. But what's more is that while Hell was deriving his inspiration from an attitude of a bygone era, he also happened to have about an extra decade of music at his disposal that his spiritual predecessors didn't. And the 90s ended up seeing a mega-expansion on the frontiers of electronic and dance music entirely, so while Hell certainly picks out his classics from super popular acts like Donna Summer and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, on here you're also gonna find stuff from contemporary dance legends like Todd Terry and Carl Craig, different flavors of rock from Tuxedomoon, Sparks, and the Flying Lizards, Brazilian-sampled techno from Andrew McLauchlan, and deep house from Bougie Soliterre. In reality, almost none of this track list makes any lick of sense on paper, but that's the inherent beauty of the whole thing, folks! Once you put it on and get a taste of Orange Lemon's (Todd Terry's) "Extended Club Mix" of "The Texican," you really start to get a feel for the vision that's been laid out here, and it's one that's mindbendingly motley, and more in the vein of how a lot of old DJ sets used to be!

The best DJs to me are the ones who appear to be doing it purely off the dome and are just living right in the moment while barely thinking ahead. They know how to wow a crowd with a memorable blend of classics, a contemporary hit, and obscurities from any decade, place, or genre, but they make adjustments if and when they feel the need to as well. And above all else, they possess an uncanny ability to play songs that you don't see coming—or that you never even knew existed in the first place—while also convincing you that the choice they made is one that's both thrilling and logically sound. It's a tough act to balance, like a halftime gimmick who rides a unicycle and spins plates on a long rod that sits on their chin while also juggling bowling pins, but DJ Hell is someone who clearly has the knack for it and puts it on full display here.

The world could always use more of this kind of DJing in it, especially when so many of us now have access to more music than we know what to do with that's all sitting right at our fingertips.

And by the way, I didn't really get into specific tracks with this post here, but "Desire," by 69, which is just a nice alias that was used by Carl Craig, is one of the most stunning combinations of string synth and drum break that I think I've ever heard in my life. Good lord, what a tune that is! 🤯

Listen to the full mix here.

Highlights:

Speedy J - "Evolution" Ché - "The Incident (Wet Dream Mix)" Orange Lemon - "The Texican (Extended Club Mix)" Liaisons Dangereuses - "Avant-Après Mars" Tuxedomoon - "What Use" 69 - "Desire" Mitsu - "Shylight" Donna Summer - "I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley Megamix)" Sparks - "Beat the Clock" Phuture - "Rise From Your Grave (Wake Side)" Foremost Poets - "Pressin On" Bougie Soliterre - "Superficial (Main Vocal Mix)" G Strings - "The Land of Dreams" Frankie Goes to Hollywood - "Two Tribes (Annihilator Mix)" Dopplereffekt - "Rocket Scientist" Andrew Mc Laughlan - "Love Story" Filippo "Naughty" Moscatello - "Disco Volante" The Flying Lizards - "Steam Away"

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thoughtsbyharu · 1 month

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Guts and Guts (spilled) Album Thoughts

My thoughts about Olivia Rodrigo's 2nd album, Guts!

Hi everyone! Long time no post! A lot has happened for the past months and I haven't posted a lot :(

Anyway, so Olivia released an album last September! This review is sooo long overdue haha but at least I could also review the new songs released on Guts (spilled) which is kind of like the deluxe edition of Guts.

I am very excited for this album because her previous album, "Sour" was one of my favorites. I listened to this on its release and it did not disappoint! So let's talk about my thoughts about it.

1. all-american bitch

Rating: 9/10

Memorable line/s:

"I don't get angry when I'm pissed. I'm the eternal optimist, I scream inside to deal with it"

"I'm grateful all the time (Grateful every f*cking time)"

Thoughts:

Way to start an album! The song is very catchy and the pop rock elements just hits up my alley. I heard that she used some American pop culture references in this song so I did some researching to know the meaning of them (since I am not American lol).

The overall tone of this song is somewhat sarcastic. I think the song is about how people expect her to be the "perfect American woman" when some of that ideals are quite destructive. Take for example the line:

"All the time, I'm grateful all the time I'm sexy and I'm kind I'm pretty when I cry"

and the line

"I don't get angry when I'm pissed I'm the eternal optimist I scream inside to deal with like "Ah""

It's like even if you are upset or angry, as a woman, you are expected to be calm and mature and handle things gracefully like a proper lady. Basically, bottling up your feelings because you, having negative feelings and expressing them doesn't sit well with people.

These types of expectations are toxic and unhealthy. Keeping your thoughts internally because people will be inconvenienced is such bs. Having emotions isn't a crime because guess what, women are people too. We should be able to laugh when you're happy, cry when you're sad and get mad when you're angry.

Overall (before this section takes too long), I like the song and it's meaning. I especially love the outro. Oh! and have you guys seen her performance of this song on SNL? It was amazing!

2. bad idea right?

Rating: 8.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"Seeing you tonight is a bad idea right?"

"I only see him as a friend (The biggest lie I ever said)"

This is like hearing the thought process of your friend who can't leave their ex or move on 😂

It's a fun song and really catchy. I love the build up before every chorus hits. It's fun to sing along to.

It's funny because this song reminds me of one of my friends and his on/off relationship with a girl. Like, he keeps ranting about her but he just keeps coming back to her. Saying things like, "Well, we're still friends so we're still hanging out" but then regrets it later when stuff happens. This song reminds me soooo much of him. No matter how much advice we give him he always does the opposite.

Anyways, to my friend out there, hope you move on already!

3. vampire

Rating: 9/10

Memorable line/s:

"I used to think I was smart but you made look so naive"

"You can't love anyone, 'cause that would mean you had a heart"

So this song was said to be about a previous boyfriend but others said that this is about Taylor Swift, but I think I'd go with the former. I did some research and she did have a former boyfriend that fits the description so maybe it's about him?

The lyrics is kind of like "All Too Well" all over again. Not saying it's bad but it's really weird to think that a lot of young women can relate to it. I mean, why do these men always go after young women who's like, years their junior? The line "Went for me and not her, 'cause girls your age know better"?? Like dudes, why can't you find someone your age? Young women in their late teens to early 20s are still figuring out life, leave them alone 😂

Anyways, the song is quite good and pretty hard to sing so kudos to Olivia! I watched her live performances to this song and it's just so amazing.

4. lacy

Rating: 7.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"I see you everywhere, sweetest torture one could bear"

"People are people but it's like you're made of angel dust"

"I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you"

This is definitely about envy. It's the kind of envy where you admire someone because you can never be like them. Do you guys get it? (haha)

She puts "lacy" in a pedestal because she's basically perfect; which is something that she (Olivia) thinks she could never be. Basically, "Lacy" brings out her insecurities and this is frustrating her.

I think most of us has their own "lacy". Maybe it's an idol, actress, friend, etc. and I get it because I also have my own. The thing is, you are your own person and that lacy is also their own person. You will never be them because you are you. It's alright to acknowledge the feeling of jealousy but don't let your life revolve around it. Do things that are best for you.

5. ballad of a homeschool girl

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"I'm on the outside of the greatest inside joke"

"Each time I step outside, it's social suicide!"

This is not a ballad, this is an anthem!! 😂

I have to say, this ain't just for the homeschool girlies but awkward and socially inept people too (like me). I am laughing all throughout this song when I first listened to it because it is TOO relatable for my own good.

I love how chaotic it sounds, like a mind of a very confused and anxious girl who does not know how social stuff works.

P.S. can't find a fitting gif for this sooo bear with me

6. making the bed

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"Well sometimes I feel like I don't wanna be where I am"

"Every good thing has turned into something I dread"

"I got the things I wanted, it's not what I imagined"

This is such a very personal and emotional song. I've been watching BoJack Horseman recently (I'm on Season 4 pls no spoilers) and this song reminds me of him. This song could be about her rise to fame but it could also be interpreted as facing the consequences of your own actions thus the title.

9. logical

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"No, love is never logical"

"I know I'm half responsible and that makes me feel horrible"

"i fell for you like water falls from the february sky"

Another ballad~ It's about how she wished she left an unhealthy relationship sooner. She reminisced about how she ignored all the red flags because she loved him. This is probably about that guy on vampire because some lyrics talks about how he took advantage of her because she was young. And yes, when you are young, immature, and inexperienced, love is not logical. She seems to blame herself over it as well which made me want to give her a hug :(

The song makes me sad.

10. get him back!

Rating: 9.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"But I am my father's daughter, so maybe I could fix him"

"Wanna kiss his face, with an uppercut"

"I want sweet revenge, I want him again"

This feels like the continuation for "bad idea right?". Get him back is a song about having complicated feelings for an awful ex. She wants to get back with him but at the same time she wants to get revenge or get back at him for breaking her heart.

Song is very catchy and I hope I could hear this live soon! (Olivia please come to the Philippines) One of my faves in this album.

11. love is embarrassing

Rating: 9.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"My God, love's embarrassing as hell"

This is logical but in a lighter tone or when you are at the stage that you've moved on but you suddenly remember what you did and you get second hand embarrassment for yourself 🤣 It's giving "What the hell was I thinking, tf did I do that for??"

This song is so fun and I found myself singing it from time to time. One of my favesss

12. the grudge

Rating: 11/10

Memorable line/s:

"You took everything I loved and crushed it in between your fingers"

"My undying love, now I hold it like a grudge"

"I takes strength to forgive, but I don't feel strong"

"How could anybody do the things you did so easily?"

"It takes strength to forgive but, I'm not quite sure I'm there yet"

Ngl, this song made me cry. Every time I try singing it I always end up tearing up or crying. It's like you are trying to move on and forgive someone but that pain still lingers and it hurts so much and you can't bring yourself to come in terms with. To anyone who is in the situation, give yourself time because as they say time can heal all wounds. If you must cry, then there's no shame in crying.

13. pretty isn't pretty

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"There's always something in the mirror that I think looks wrong"

"...I could try every every lipstick in every shade, but I'd always feel the same "

"You fix the things you hated, And you'd still feel so insecure"

Seriously Olivia. Why should you always write songs that are so personal and relatable?? I gotta be honest, but this song made me cry again haha. I dunno, I just can relate to this song soooo much. I love how Olivia wrote this because it captures the struggles of being an anxious and insecure individual. Anyway, on a lighter note, I love the guitar and the bridge of this song. This is one of my faves.

14. teenage dream

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"When am I gonna stop being wise beyond my years and just start being wise?"

"They all say that it gets better, it gets better, but what if I don't?"

Another ballad and yes, I am crying because of this song yet again. If I have a song I want my teenage self to hear, it's this song. I am an eldest daughter in an Asian household so this song just pulls my heartstrings so much because it makes me feel heard and my feelings validated. I am expected of many things so this song comforts me.

The slow buildup to a rock tone during the outro is also such a nice tone.

15. obsessed

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"You both have moved on, you don't even talk. But I can't help it, I got issues, I can't help it baby"

You don't know how guilty I felt when I heard this song for the first time hahaha. At one point in my life, I've been soooo insecure at my boyfriend's ex and the lyrics just hits me like a damn truck because my thoughts are exactly the same!! I mean, sometimes you just can't help to compare yourself from an ex you know?

I love the contrast of this vs. the other 3 songs because this is pop rock. I love the instrumentals for this!

16. girl i've always been

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"And I can't say I'm a perfect ten. But I am the girl I've always been"

A country song! I love how lively this song is. The lyrics is kind of empowering in a way because it feels like Olivia has accepted that she is flawed and is not pretending to be that perfect girl anymore.

17. scared of my guitar

Rating: 7.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"I can't lie to it the same way that I lie to you"

"So we'll stay together 'cause how could I ever trade something that's good for what's right."

Another sad song (please Olivia I'll run out of tears!). I think Olivia is pertaining to her songwriting skills here and how she uses it to express her raw and authentic self. She compares how honest she is with her songwriting versus her relationship with others. It is implied that she isn't transparent about her feelings with other people, possibly because she is protecting herself.

18. stranger

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"I cried a million rivers for you but that's over now. You're just a stranger I know everything about"

"You are the best thing that I'll ever keep so far out of my life"

"If I'm not enough for you, you're not enough for me"

This song is so uplifting and positive for someone who already moved on. I love the lyrics of this as it speaks about moving forward and forgiving someone but never forgetting. Oh! and I love the reference from "enough for you". I also love the guitar on this one.

19. so american

Rating: 9/10

Memorable line/s:

"He's like a poem I wish I wrote"

"Oh god, it's just not fair of him to make me feel this much"

"I'm probably gonna marry him if he keeps this shit up"

"I really love my bed but man it's hard to sleep when he's with me"

"I don't wanna assume this stuff. But ain't it love? I think I'm in love"

Guysss we finally have a love song!! This is such a perfect way to end an album together with "stranger" because it feels like a chapter has closed and another one has opened! This is her first love song since her debut right?? It's sooo good. The lyrics are so cute and makes me smile. She describes this guy as the best thing that's ever happen to her and that makes me happy somehow? She sounds sooo inlove and adorableee! I really love the bridge it makes me all giggly ><

-----

My Top 5 Picks:

stranger

the grudge

love is embarrassing

obsessed

pretty isn't pretty

-----

Overall Thoughts:

I gotta say, kudos to Olivia and her team because they manage to create another good album! It's great that they are consistent with pop rock and ballads and I especially appreciate that they added a little country touch on the song list!

Overall, like Sour, I love how this album is so personal. Ngl, this made me cry more than Sour ><

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thebananwithaplan · 2 months

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Alright, alright. This is a vibe.

A little more on the mellow side, but a welcome one nonetheless. Some might have snickered in the beginning of their introduction, but none in malice.

With some of the audience members singing backup, Dagg and Norb's act was a success.

🎙️ "And that was Norbert and his brother Daggett, everyone! Let's hear it for them!"

The clapping continued for another couple of moments, before the spotlight shut off to let them clear the stage.

🍒2 "First we got a lion, then a pair of beavers."

🍒1 "I always thought bein' in this studio felt like walking into a giant circus; but I didn't think they'd take that literally this time around."

A couple of chuckles from nearby fellow fruits.

While a new act was moving in their place in the dark, the Announcer reappeared on stage, the spotlight on him again.

🎙️ "As we were saying, there's no understatement just how important playing the right music is in setting up certain moods and tones. Without the right tones, that very important scene from your movie won't quite hit that mark. Or a really intimidating final boss lacking their theme at the penultimate point of a video game."

🍒1 "Well, you're neither important OR intimidating!"

🍒2 "Maybe that's why YOU don't have a memorable theme song!"

🍒1&2 "OHOHOHO!"

Cue more chuckling from the toony audience.

...Are they the only special audience stage members tonight? No face-planting apples or note-taking broccolis? He'll even take the grumpy cantaloupe, at the rate this was going...

🎙️ "W-well, I mean I could be intimidating! But I'm not here to be scaring anybody right now."

🍒2 "Yeah? I don't think you're here to be scaring anybody anytime soon, either!"

......The Announcer didn't have much of a rebuttal there. But at least it sounds like the next act finally got their bearings together.

🎙️ "....I am going to pretend that I heard none of that, and instead WE'RE be hearing the next act."

Lights off. Announcer away.

Next act?

Riiiight about... now!

#where he at (ic update)#the disembodied voice i sign paychecks to (the announcer)#double heckling trouble (cherry 1 & 2 )#spootheads #phonypizza #e: the power of music

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monkey-network · 3 months

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Every Tyler the Creator Album Ranked

And then, out of the bleu, I listened to every album from the predictably unpredictable Tyler, the Creator. Frankly, I only knew him best from Loiter Squad and The Jellies with the occasional cameo via Regular Show and Axe Cop. It was last Fall where I started listening to music more, eventually going Tyler's full discography. Here we are now, recognizing his game, getting surprised in more ways than one, and going through his albums from good to peak. Don't take this as a "worst to best" ranking, I will confidently say he has no bad records. But, gotta discuss one thing though before we get to the list and that is...

0. The Grinch Album

Back in 2018, Tyler was commissioned to make a couple songs for Illumination's Grinch movie. They were okay even though they wasted his version of "You're a Mean One" on the opening minutes instead of the part that matter. It was in the same year that he made an EP with songs inspired by the movie that weren't used in said movie, just something Tyler was into doing. It's only six songs, ten minutes and change, but it's breezy while not being annoying about the Holidays. I'd overall say, since it came beforehand, the EP's great in getting a feel of IGOR's instrumentals but with a more upbeat tone. You can really tell Pharrell Williams was a big influence to Tyler here, coincidentally since Pharrell made songs for Illumination and a couple of these Grinch songs resemble his works in a way. If I were to rank it, it'd be number 6. Way too short to fairly ranked among the others but admittedly memorable compared to the bottom 2. With that said, NOW let's do this...

7. Cherry Bomb

Again none of these are bad albums, and I say this was a very important one for Tyler's career. Cherry Bomb is to Tyler what Vaudeville Villain was for MF DOOM. After the Wolf Trilogy, this was him popping off one more time like the old days before coming to terms with where he wanted to go next, you notice with how things mellow out halfway in. You get how his direction in music shifted while not feeling ashamed of what used to be his initial style; Flower Boy wouldn't have worked without this and I can see why it's Tyler's personal favorite. With that said, most the tracks aren't as memorable as the later albums on this list. 'Deathcamp' is a fierce bop opener, I love 'Find Your Wings', 'Okaga, CA' and '2Seater', but man it can be a tonal mess that doesn't reach the same highs. Plus it's the one where I can say the mixing is weird; like some vocals feel muffled and the production sounds unintentionally worse than Goblin. The titular 6th song I just hate, personally the all time worst song he's ever made and it's not close. Not as great an album as I'd hoped, but to dismiss this album would feel wrong as it exists no differently to Tyler's growth as a artist. Change ain't easy, y'know.

6. Goblin

Yeah, even I can't deny this is the weakest of the Wolf trilogy. It's better than Cherry Bomb in that it has a... more consistent flow, but that leads into my biggest problem. Goblin feels too same-y and just a messier expansion to Bastard. 'Yonkers' I'm amazed got the praise it did when I could tell Tyler made it as a joke; emblematic of his career I guess. Still, when it hits it hits, we got 'She', 'Tron Cat', "Nightmare', 'Windows', and you get into it better than Cherry Bomb. Now I'm one of those crackpots that thinks of this, where if you ever get into Tyler's music, I recommend Goblin after Wolf where you'll understand the latter more but listening to Goblin then Wolf as naturally ordered will play out like an edited timeline story if listened to all at once. Goblin overall feels like that middle child where it fits the time it was released but hasn't aged as well as its siblings.

5. Scum Fuck Flower Boy

This is probably blaspheme but it is one of those cases where this is great but the next few albums are just better to me by comparison. I can appreciate this album more after listening to Cherry Bomb; the neo soul heavily leaning from CB's latter half songs. The vibes are more chill but retains those underlying somber feelings like previous albums. This felt like he refined his style; Tyler got to loosen up lyrically & it's all a mood. At the same time, I didn't grow up with this album while I wish I did. It just doesn't resonate with me as much while I do grasp how the Creator was feeling when he made this. Best way to describe is that I could see the characters that exist in the albums; I can see Wolf Haley, Baudelaire, IGOR, etc. It's hard seeing Flower Boy himself because he feels that overshadowed between his works of the past and future. Again not like I didn't understand, just that it wasn't as impactful as I'd hoped. Don't take this as a negative, because this is just how strong Tyler's music can be for me.

4. Bastard

I genuinely tend to switch between Bastard and Wolf as to which is number 3. For Wolf, it's with the storytelling and the composition that's done better. For Bastard, it's the energy and unfiltered fun with it being Tyler's first mixtape. I was taken aback initially on the contents of this like I will not call it "horrorcore" but it's like JESUS christ; can't even tell you what's on this for the fear of getting flagged. However, I say Tyler's music gets better with re-listens. Bastard feels like the title lives up to the name; Ace and Odd Future making bangers together, flippin' birds to the sky, and the titular track laying out that it isn't just shock value for the sake of it. This feels like the album Tyler would always want to make starting out, with that no fucks given confidence being the foundation of him exploring his troubles with love and developing a career. Basically, the "Fatherless Behavior album" as my friend pointed out that blessfully hasn't aged like milk given the man's future livelihood. I enjoy Bastard for its garage appeal and this being where Tyler got to start out before 'Yonkers' pushed him to stardom.

3. Wolf

This to me has the best storytelling in Tyler's discography. I like that it kinda tricks you in terms of what the perspective is for the album's concept. You could say this is about Wolf Haley himself finding some peace after Goblin and getting in the love triangle with Samuel and Salem. You could say this was more Samuel's album while Wolf is mostly out the picture hanging with Salem. Either way works with Tyler's growth considering this is far less shocking than Goblin and Bastard combined. You can tell while Samuel exists as the remaining edginess of Tyler's past, he's cooled down with the graphical lyrics for a different approach to his music; 'Answer' and 'PartyIsntOver' shows his softer tune that fits the album's camp aesthetic. Again, this and Bastard I will flip ranks on certain days, but I can see why it's the fan favorite among the initial three.

2. Call Me If You Get Lost

From what I've seen before listening, I figured that this would be a flex album and Tyler did not disappoint. Tyler Baudelaire felt like a real persona, I'd say the evolution of Wolf Haley with DJ Drama being the cherry on top. I think this wouldn't have worked as well without the hypeman, not only for being a great jab at DJ Khalid after the one sided beef back in 2018 but an enjoyable narrator that I couldn't imagine any other for the spot. Call Me is just the epitome of swagger, the time where Tyler can finally gun out with his rap skills while it's not full on chest beating. Like his previous albums, it explores his love life and how he works out his feelings when things don't go right. Felt like Tyler at his most vulnerable, especially with 'Wilshire' that's the longest song if you don't count the notable conjoined tracks like 'Sugar/I Thought You Wanted to Dance'. When you recognize growth, this album was it. Incorporating his previous albums into this, utilizing his ability to make banger after banger. That's if you don't count The Estate Sale, basically a victory lap upon the existing victory lap that was the base album. When I say 'Sorry, Not Sorry' was the pinnacle of Tyler's whole career I mean it. Call Me If You Get Lost felt like a celebration, where you're with Tyler in how much he's living life. This seriously would've been number 1 with or without Estate Sale, if not for...

1. IGOR

Might as well say it now: it's his magnum opus. I've brought up a couple times now that Tyler's music can be messy and that can apply here, more on a emotional level than technical. Here though, that's what makes it perfect. This album is about the love you had being pulled and eventually crushed, and it's not around to sugarcoat. What helps it stick out is knowing IGOR exists as his own being, not just a persona of Tyler. He embodies how we all can feel when it comes to heartbreak and how ugly the emotions can actually be. This wouldn't have worked without 'New Magic Wand', without 'What's Good' or 'I Don't Love You Anymore'. Tyler's music, from what I've recognize, has always been taking ugly with the beauty you can find and this is that note perfected. Being the shortest album of the collection, this album's ergonomic where I can hardly listen to one song on its own and was the record I've listened to the most because it got better every time. This isn't even accounting for 'Are We Still Friends', which I've considered the all-time greatest closer I've ever listened to. It brings me to actual tears every time and it's like everything clicked. This felt like more than just Tyler proving himself as the Creator, but him respecting the oldheads of music with this neo-soul masterpiece.

Conclusion

Tyler's music is the first instance I truly grasped what he meant by each album pinpointing the certain periods of his life. Listening to his works in order, you understand his growth as an musician without it ever feeling out of nowhere. What I love most is that you can tell he constantly had fun producing; the confidence he always has even at his worst can't be understated. It feels like Tyler got to grow up on his own terms, never taking his success for granted and becoming the most prolific artist I've known next to Kendrick and Dre. Having caught up, I'm genuinely interested in his next direction because hell, what else is there to say?

He's the Best

#tyler the creator #Tyler Okonma #odd future #music #hip hop #rap #neo soul #albums ranked #list #reviews #long post #Good Stuff

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gerogerigaogaigar · 1 year

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The Beatles - A Hard Days Night

The people who made this list are no longer trying to suck The fab four's dicks but rather vore them entirely. The fab vore if you will. A Hard Days Night is by far the least interesting of their early catalogue, showcasing more of the same with only a couple memorable songs. It's sometimes celebrated for being their first album of all original songs, but I think a few covers would be fine actually. I think covers are fine. Go fuck yourself. 6/10. See me after class.

New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies

I don't know how they did it, but after Ian Curtis' passing the remaining members of Joy Division kept on making music with each other. Things couldn't stay the same though so under a new name and with a new sound they set out as New Order. Power, Corruption & Lies is their second album but it's the first where they really cemented their sound. The atmosphere is calm, mellow, but fundamentally sad, and somehow still danceable. A sound unlike other new wave/synth pop/post punk artists it captured the gothic atmosphere but with much bubblier and instrumentation. This album really proved that it wasn't just Ian Curtis, everything these musicians touch turn to gold.

The Beastie Boys - Check Your Head

I love this period in The Beastie Boys' career. They were just fuckin around making whatever came to their head. I love the way songs are more like sketches of ideas and there's little in the way of structure holding it all together. These guys know exactly how camp they are and they lean into hard. Beyond just hip hop they have a lot of funk and punk tracks on this one which rounds out the sound nicely and allows them more room to goof off in.

The Slits - Cut

Punk could not confine the late 70s mavericks known as The Slits. They have the manic energy of the punk scene, but they're style was influenced by dub, reggae, and post punk. Ari Up is an amazing vocalist who can go from gentle whisper to screeching shout without acknowledging any of the step in between. The jittery and chaotic nature of the music is antithetical to the club scene in almost every way yet it still manages to be danceable. It's a beautiful crime for a punk band to commit, danceable music.

Janis Joplin - Pearl

Janis Joplin's voice is probably the most irreplaceable loss that the music world ever suffered. Joplin had evolved since the summer of love when she sang for Big Brother And The Holding Company. Still just as raspy and soulful as ever but with a new sense of maturity. She's more wistful on Pearl than ever before but no less bluesy and rough. Joplin's biggest hit came in the form of Me & Bobby McGee a cover of a Kris Kristofferson song of all things. Every song is a little masterpiece, but the best bit, for me at least, is Mercedez Benz a cheeky little acapella number that delights me every time I hear it.

Joni Mitchell - The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Not content to just be another adult contemporary artist Joni Mitchell took the slight jazz influence from her previous album and ramped up the experimentation to eleven. Mitchell's lyricism is already some of the best and the creative arrangements that fill this album add to the unique tone of every song. Mitchell's usual conversational tone is well matched in songs like In France They Kiss On Main Street or Harry's House/Centerpiece, but others like The Jungle Line use synths and jazz bass to create a tense atmosphere. An art pop masterpiece The Hissing Of Summer Lawns exists in a pantheon of albums that really only contains Tim Buckley and other Joni Mitchell works anyway.

#500 album gauntlet #the beatles #new order #the beastie boys #the slits #janis joplin #joni mitchell

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asgardian--angels · 2 years

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what are some of your favorite rammstein songs? what album would you choose to recommend to others? if you're able to choose (i know it can be difficult to do with favorite bands, lol) i grew up only hearing one of their songs and your reblogs make me curious to branch out!

Hi there!! I'm always happy to talk about bands I love haha right now since I've yet to really become a part of the fandom and I only know one or two people irl that like the same music as me I feel like I've been shouting into the void lately so like, I am gratified to know someone's listening XD

I'm by no means a Rammstein expert as I'm fairly new to the fandom and the band overall (been listening for about a year), that's my disclaimer. But I've furiously been trying to catch up with their 30-odd years of history!

I'm guessing the song you know is probably Du Hast? That is the song that I grew up knowing as well and for a very long time was the only song I heard from them. It's a very... mainstream? song, I suppose, for their standards; catchy, simple lyrics that non-German speaking audiences can sing along to, pounding repetitive militaristic beat, great to introduce international audiences to this Neue Deutsche Härte genre that was quite distinct from American metal at the time (I moved over to European metal genres about five years ago after exhausting my interest in American metal, there really just seems to be a lot more creativity going on there). While it's a good song it's by no means my favorite nor representative of their level of technical skill nor lyrical poetry. Plus it was a fairly early song in their discography, and their sound has evolved multiple times since then, as all bands do.

It's definitely hard to choose favorites as I really love all of their albums and all of the various sounds the band has gone through. They continually reinvent themselves and remain relevant and fresh, and that sustained passion always comes through in their art. There's also like, songs-that-are-my-favorite and songs-I'd-recommend-to-new-listeners which aren't always the same. I have bolded my recommendations here so you don't need to sift through all this haha.

In my opinion, their overall best album is Liebe Ist Für Alle Da (2009). It is incredibly solid as a total package; their musically heaviest era I'd say, high production quality, long tracklist and they're all jams. Rammstein doesn't half-ass anything, but LIFAD is like a self-contained universe and the concerts that go along with that era had some of the coolest stage productions & costumes. 'Rammlied' and 'Ich Tu Dir Weh' are two iconic, classic songs from this album that I couldn't recommend enough. The latter is imo one of the best songs they've ever done and the music video is killer, and is an excellent representation of the sort of enchanting darkness mixed with beauty that characterizes so much of their appeal. It was the first song of theirs I learned all the words to, and the song that made me want to listen to more Rammstein. If anything, listen to that song first out of all of these recommendations! I hope it can do that for you too. It remains an absolutely mesmerizing song for me to this day. Rammlied is one of a number of songs they have about the relationship between band and fans, great for live performances but also just a fun heavy metal song to headbang to. The chant in the beginning is so good, I’ve got it on a t-shirt haha.

While I think that's the *best* album, my personal favorite is Mutter (2001). A solid collection of impactful songs that flow in tone very well. It just has a special place in my heart! 'Sonne' is a must-listen, also I think one of the most iconic songs they've ever done. You'll never be able to get it out of your head, and pretty easy to memorize lyrics too - it was the second full song I learned. 'Mein Herz Brennt' is a dark, intense, heavy-hitting ballad with a spine-tingling music video, a great example of one of their 'dark fairytale' type songs that are common in their work. Till Lindemann specializes in these sort of speak-singing melodies that weave a twisted children's bedtime story (others like this are Wiener Blut, Spieluhr, and Puppe, I highly recommend the latter). My personal favorite from that album besides Sonne is Adios.

Literally tho all their albums are great, and I don't know your personal preferences for rock genres so you may like their earlier or later work better;

Their 90s work is more raw, less polished, as I think I could say for most bands that began in the 90s when these genres were fresh and members were young with a lot of angst and energy! Those albums, Herzeleid (1995) and Sehnsucht (1997), are absolutely worth listening to. I would recommend the songs 'Engel', 'Sehnsucht', and 'Du Riechst So Gut', to get a sense for how that era sounded. (Hardcore fans don't get on me here, I love all the songs from then, 'Laichzeit' and 'Eifersucht' are among my personal favs).

Then there are the two mid-2000s albums Reise, Reise (2004) and Rosenrot (2005), which again are just, high quality, solid pieces of work. You notice I say solid a lot here, and that's because everything that Rammstein produces is of high quality; they're true professionals who strive to perfection and I think they really put out their best in everything they do. Three classic songs from these albums are 'Mein Teil' (dark and intense, about a real life cannibalism case, music video does not mess around lmao), 'Rosenrot', and for funsies, 'Benzin' (one of their classic blow-shit-up songs you can't help but love). I think some of their deepest, most poetic songs are from these two albums. personal favs include Dalai Lama, Hilf Mir, and Ein Lied (the latter is probably my favorite song they've ever done, but it's by no means a hit or anything, just one of those quiet little 'when you're lonely we're here for you' melodies)

Their two new albums, Untitled (2019) and Zeit (2022) definitely move into a new musical era for them, and again demonstrate their dedication to consistent high production quality. I cannot recommend the song and video 'Deutschland' high enough - you absolutely must watch the video, preferably as your first listen of the song. It's more of a short film, and I think it changed me on a genetic level lmao. Deals with the conflicted feelings and politics of national pride in a country with blood on its hands, and the video is one of the most aesthetically stunning things I've ever seen. 'Zeit' is of a similar vein in terms of being the powerful ballad on the latest album, also with a great video, a very moving, sad song about the inevitability of loss and the passage of time. (again, I love everything on these albums too, I already mentioned Puppe, which is A++. Schwarz and Lügen have risen to the top on Zeit tbh, but that's between you and me).

I'm going to stop myself there, as I could just keep telling you to listen to everything they've ever done, but hopefully you will take that upon yourself at some point ;D Till has an incredible baritone voice with a fantastic range of styles that he knows how to use to full effect to weave moving tales that will stick with you. It got me off my ass to learn how to pronounce German! I hope you enjoy the recommendations, they're very much classic singles but still decent examples of their various eras.

#rammstein #it only took me two hours to write this LOL #do i ramble? yes. but im also just desperate to talk to people about my latest obsessions and i got no one here bruh #how long before the fandom absorbs me pls #i really can't say i like one era over another tbh they're all worthwhile in their own right #but fuck i do love mutter

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kelprot-old · 2 years

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in regards to ur post bout music taste n such, do ya got any recommendations for someone who wants to branch out but doesnt rlly know where to start?

AWESOME ASK!!! and yea i got some stuff ^_^ it'll differ depending on the person but I'll do my best 2 give some general (albeit messy) advice.

i sorta just seek out anything i spot that looks interesting to me; on youtube I'll click any albums that pop up in my recommended, and on spotify I regularly look at my discover weekly playlist + I'll just check out what tracks spotify wants to feed me when I'm trying to make a playlist. its all about just listening to stuff that u don't recognise, even if you're not sure you'll like it. (songs tend to hit harder on the second listen, if that helps.)

ALSO!!! i'll throw gnoosic out there. its a site made to help you find new music; you give it 3 artists you like, and it'll respond in kind with a multiple that you can say if u liked or not, and so on and so forth. as long as you're not feeding it Super Popular Artists No 1, 2 and 3, you might find some pretty obscure (but good) stuff.

honestly, it all really just comes down to what you're trying to Get out of music as a whole. if you're only listening for lyrics or poetry-like stuff, you're gonna have a completely different experience to someone who listens moreso for the music theory side of things. it's taken me a few years to get...into music (?) as much as I have, so it takes time and a good bit of examination about what you're looking for when it comes to music. or maybe I'm being pretentious but who cares. music's fun. do what u want i guess when it comes to specific genre recommendations....it really does depend on the person, so I'll just throw out some stuff I like that tend to lead you down rabbit holes of more obscure tracks. ^_^

big bold text that says that the music recs are below if u want to skip the above stuff POSTROCK. postrock is one of my favourite genres, it's slow and thematic and focuses on tone rather than any kind of memorability or pattern-recognition stuff. it tends to consist of long drawn-out instrumentals with occasional spoken-word parts; rarely do you find postrock tracks with a heavy emphasis on lead vocals. i'd recommend starting with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and checking out Dead Flag Blues. i also have an old playlist with a few other postrock artists here, if you want to find other stuff.

another favourite genre of mine is just any kind of bossa nova/folk (?) stuff. while I cant give any artist recommendations since I tend to just listen to anything, I can link an old megaplaylist of songs in that kind of genre that I like, as well as this specific track that I really enjoy. chiptune!!!! chiptune rocks. it's basically just removing all the instruments and creating music from super flat computer-generated noise. if you look in the right places, you'll find some artists with a LOAD of skill that manage to get past that barrier of the instrumentation and make some genuinely incredible shit. there's a playlist here if you wanna hit shuffle, and I'll throw Final Blast and also just. most of Anamanaguchi and Fearofdark's discography up as well.

#THIS POST IS A MESS BTW. SORRY ABOUT THAT.#i guess my biggest advice is. ignore lyrics. or treat them like another instrument in the song #i tend to find people enjoy music more when they stop to appreciate each little part of a track and examine how they work #WITHOUT putting a massive emphasis on the lyrics or treating them like something that Makes or breaks a track #because in the end they're just. sounds. like at their core they're a bunch of syllables that sound good or bad #it all just comes down to. listen to new stuff. focus more on How the song was made (?) and what makes it work #i found that over time i enjoyed music more when I could appreciate what made certain tracks more. better. or something. LOL #not that im saying you gotta learn music theory. but being able to stop and go ''oh hey that buildup was good Because:'' can help #OR DONT DO THAT AT ALL. and just enjoy the sounds. seriously it depends entirely on the person so just have fun

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kolttonen · 3 months

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The psychological horror of Brand New's The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me - an album analysis, part 2/4

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4

...

The hardest song to listen to on the album is Limousine. In many ways, the almost 8-minute long track is the climax of the album. The track discusses a real story of a car accident, where a drunk driver hit a limousine on its way to a wedding. The crash resulted in the instant death of a seven-year old girl who was supposed to be going to a wedding with her parents. Both the parents of the girl and the drunk driver survived the accident.

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We found your man He's drinking up, he's all-American And he'll drive He's volunteered with grace to end your life

In Limousine, the accident is viewed both from the mother's point-of-view and even more interestingly, from the point of view of the drunk driver. The song is a morbid description of the girl's death, but perhaps the most moving part of the song being the second verse. In it, we get the drunk driver's narration of the accidents emotional aftermath. The driver assesses his place in the world after committing an unforgivable act and contemplates how his actions appear to God. The verse introduces the main emotional question of the album: how will I get myself from underneath this guilt that will crush me?

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Hey, beauty supreme Yeah, you were right about me But can I get myself out from underneath This guilt that will crush me? And in the choir I saw our sad Messiah He was bored and tired of my laments Said, "I died for you one time, but never again"

The song is a quilt-ridden study into the mind of a person after a realization that what they have done will alter not just their but other, innocent passersby lives forever. Listening to it after hearing about the original story is an emotional journey. The lyrics themselves are quite morbid and Lacey really plays into the feelings of the different participants of the tragedy in his vocal track, using his tone to mediate emotions.

The song has dramatic highs and lows, and probably the longest and most memorable outro of the album. Lacey counts down to the age of the girl's death in a verse, where he proclaims his love while simultaneously backing away and telling the recipient to not comment on it because he might not be able to take it. There are multiple ways of interpreting this part, but I have always thought that this aligns with the theme of unrequited love present in the rest of the album. He loves someone, who doesn’t love him back the same way, a scene found in Not The Sun, Degausser and Sowing Season.

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Five will love you so much But do me a favor, baby, don't reply 'Cause I can dish it out But I can't take it

The song is one of the most talked about Brand New songs in its fandom and continues to gather a lot of interest in the original accident and footage of it. Brand New couldn’t have known the impact the song would have and how it would create a narrative around the accident out of control of the girls parents. According to some fans comments under Brand New live videos, Lacey would comment on the song 10 years later on the Science Fiction tour, saying he didn’t understand the severity of his words or the awfulness of the song until he had a family of his own.

Friend - lover - family

One painful theme on the album is the definition of relationships, mainly being someone's friend, lover or family, and the murky waters between them. The question of being someone's family is discussed in different parts of the album, first in the opening track Sowing Season, where Lacey screams:

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I'm not your friend I'm not your lover I'm not your family

Lacey’s angry and provocative delivery combined with the lyrics later on the song hints at Sowing Season being about a hard relationship that eventually ended. The lyrics remember the time with their lover as vibrant compared to their regular life, and suggests that having to live with the memories of that happy time feels like a punishment:

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Do you miss the blend Colors she left in your black and white field? Do you feel condemned just being there?

A similar scheme can be heard on Degausser, where he is singing about someone who does not quite reciprocate his feelings:

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You're my favorite bird and when you sing I really do wish you'd wear my ring

The hurt from Sowing Season and hopeful ideation of Degausser turn sour on Not the Sun. The fast-paced and energetic track details the feelings of one-sided love, where the writer is hanging on by a thread on a relationship where the other person has clearly moved on. The song describes the feelings of crushing desperation where you would do anything to be anyone your loved one would need, or alternatively, would rather have your loved one play-pretend to be with you than to lose them. The despair from the lyrics wouldn't be anything without the vocal performance that really conveys the rawness of the lines:

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Just pretend that you want me And be my babe, would you be my babe?

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If you breed, just don’t tell me And be my babe, would you be my babe?

The song is striking in its writing - it shows a soft underbelly of being in love and obsessed that doesn’t get shown often - probably because just hearing it, let alone writing it, is such an uncomfortable thing. The obsessive and desperate things we seek out for the non-existent approval from our idealized loved ones can be quite embarrassing and hurtful to admit, write down and say aloud.

Not The Sun also revisits the friend-lover-family-scheme from Sowing Season. This time he questions his lover desperately, asking for an approval to play a bigger part in her life:

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Say you're my friend, but why won't you be my family?

Later in the song the writer turns the narrative around, and that's where we get the title of the song:

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You've set on me but you are not the sun You are not the sun I'm outside, I'm growing roots again You've set on me but you are not the sun

He turns his focus on the future and starts to reroot himself after this relationship ends. His sun, the love of his life has set on him, but the dawn of a new time will eventually come. She is no longer the thing his life revolves around, she is not the sun.

... continues in part 3

#brand new #the devil and god are raging inside me #album review #Youtube

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swangtup6 · 4 months

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Album Review: Ingested - Surpassing The Boundaries of Human Suffering (2009)

Gonna be doing something a bit different today. I tend to give very high ratings on the projects I review, and this is because I usually review albums I like. This will not be the case today. Ingested is a British band that helped pioneer "slamcore", a fusion of slam and deathcore, which are both genres that I love on their own, but do not enjoy when combined. Why not? Let's discuss.

The first thing I don't like about this album is the guitarwork. Outside of the context it's in, I think it would be serviceable. The guitarists obviously know their shit, and they pull off some riffs that remind me a little of Waking The Cadaver, but without the catchy, memorable breakdowns, or the haunting melodic tremolo parts. Most of the riffing on this album feels very phoned in and passionless, and I also don't care for the guitar's tone. It's big, yeah, but it feels hollow in a way where it really needs an audible bass behind it to make it really hit, which it doesn't, because the bass is completely buried.

Next is the vocals, which are actually one of the better parts of this release. The vocals are fine (but not optimal) for deathcore, but not for anything that calls itself "slam". They're full of growls and highs, neither of which belong in slam, but they also don't really have the variety that most deathcore vocals have; they don't sharply alternate between extreme highs and deep gutturals in the dynamic and neck-breaking way that many deathcore vocalists tend to do, and so they're just a little too static for this album.

And lastly, at least for the instruments, the drums. I'm gonna start positively. The drummer is a BEAST, no doubt about it. This album is full of gravity blasts and rapidfire double bass, and it doesn't slow down for a MINUTE, except on the breakdowns of course. The drumming is easily the best part of the album. However, the drumming sounds so fucking sample-replaced and post-edited. I feel like there's barely anything left of the actual drumming under the electronic kick, overly compressed snare, and aggressive quantizing. At this point, they might as well have just programmed the drums because nobody would ever be able to tell the fucking difference. The drumming is cool, yeah, but it would be so much better if it felt like it was being done by a human.

But the main reason I don't like this album isn't any of those, because I like a decent amount of music that has those characteristics. Hell, I even use a drum machine for my own music. The main thing that fucking sucks about this album is the songwriting. I mentioned earlier that the riffing feels pretty phoned in, but that's not just the case with the riffing. This whole album feels like it didn't even really want to exist. I feel like the band was just like "Hey, we make deathcore, lets just add a shit ton of slam riffs and pretend we're doing something original" and ended up just making boring deathcore. There isn't a single song on this album that doesn't sound like every other song on the album. You could skip to any point in the whole project and it would blend seamlessly with the part you were already listening to because it all sounds exactly the same. There's no variation, no interesting riffs or vocals, no catchiness, nothing. Hell, with the shitty guitar tone and artificial sounding drums there's barely even any heaviness here. I'm sorry, but I don't want to break someones skull with my elbow to a 12 year old's guitar tone with a sprinkler under it, and that's what slam and deathcore should both make you want to do.

At the end of the day, slam and deathcore need to stay more separate from this. It's cool to have some slams in your deathcore (like early Whitechapel and Suicide Silence did, very well I might add) but the genres have different goals. Slam is all about unending, uncompromising brutality that just mindlessly bludgeons you for the duration of the album or EP or however you're listening to it, while deathcore's brutality usually comes from the varied sonic assault, where it switches from trem riffs over blasting to slams to breakdowns to more trem riffs to maybe even a clean section on some of the more adventurous stuff. But slamcore doesn't do any of that. It's not slam, but it tries to apply the slam formula to deathcore, which just doesn't translate well, because the genres are heavy and brutal in completely different ways.

This album is NOT worth your time.

20/100

Standout track: None, they're all exactly the same

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#deathcore #youtube #music #music review #metal music #death metal #metal review #metalcore #Youtube

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struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor · 7 months

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I guess I will join the contingent of kpop lurkers to ask if you had any thoughts on skz’s album out last week. For me I was really underwhelmed by five star and didn’t think any of it was really memorable, and I feel similarly about this one. Their title tracks in particular are just not exciting anymore, even while they’ve had some really iconic ones in the past. I think cover me might have been their best song on this album, but I’m also a sucker for pretty ballads (that don’t have as obviously cringe lyrics like youtiful), and social path was a nice closer. It might be weird to say as a fan, but I wish they’d put out less music, if only bc they churn out so much music that a lot of it becomes repetitive or just shouldn’t make the cut. Maybe they’ve hit a rut? Their rap line does almost all of the writing and production (I think mostly without any in house team) and I think it shows. Maybe I’m stuck in a different corner of the internet, but I think this release made almost no noise? Though their sales have been consistently good lately

Thank you!! That's really sweet!!

I'll be honest, it was a struggle to finish the album. My SKZ reviews are always the same. Stray Kids have so many moments of brilliance. God's Menu is fucking genius, I love The Tortoise and the Hare, their instrumentals slap. Sadly, SKZ don't live up to their potential. Their songs follow a very consistent formula and I can't stand it anymore atp - the first 10 seconds of a song are always great and you think the song is going to be epic, then Felix, Changbin, etc. rap (too expected now), but when the slow pre-chorus comes I feel like throwing my hands up in frustration. It's always the same terrible slow chorus, followed by a beat drop chorus, and a slow bridge. I'm so absolutely done with this formula.

Even Changbin's rap annoys me now tbh. He's good but he always raps the same way, and it makes every song sound the same. I think Han is more versatile.

SKZ have charisma and energy performing, but their lack of skills holds them back a lot when the song and choreo aren't good. Han and Changbin are the only ones who can rap - Hyunjin is pretty weak and Felix is a bit better, but not good either - and no one sings well - Han and Seungmin are the best, but their tones aren't very pretty. The group suffers a lot because no one has a very attractive voice. I.N is pretty weak vocally.

Also, their dancing skills are not great overall. Lee Know doesn't have the best stage presence and has a lot of weaknesses and Hyunjin has plenty of weaknesses too. I often think Han looks the best executing the whole choreo. He's pretty talented.

Anyway, I didn't like the title track - they haven't had a strong title track in a while - and I think I liked Leave the most? I listened to the album yesterday so I can't remember.

I agree that they release a lot of music, but even if they put out less of it, it wouldn't be better? They just need to break the formula and write better lyrics. The instrumentals are already good.

Thanks for the ask!

#ask #stray kids #reviews #text #thanks for the ask!

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youareinlove · 1 year

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reacting to niall horan's new album as someone who has never intentionally listened to a niall horan song in my life:

warning: i write a lot

(ty to @thesunandstarss for the post that inspired this <3)

heaven- ok its boppy! great opening track honestly, i feel like it's setting the tone for the album in the sense that it's both very production-y and fun but also has some hard-hitting lines (it's hard to be a human???). it's the type of song that should be played over a slow-mo montage during a season finale

if you leave me- i don't have that many thoughts other than that it sounds like a 2010s song met a 2020s song in a perfect middle ground. also the sound of the song is making me think i was right in saying that the first track really set the tone for the album

meltdown- this hurt me both in my anxiety brain and in my inner english major brain. "hard to tell the real from the dreams you imagine" was a very different kind of relatable both because i've been the person who would be "singing" the song, telling the person that i'll be there when it all melts down, and the person who was...melting down.

never grow up- i knew i would like this one because i'm a speak now stan, but this was a cute song in a different way (hope we still dance like we're falling in love 😭). it's just a very sweet love song. this is probably my favorite so far actually.

the show- this song made me intensely uncomfortable and i haven't fully processed it yet which is how i know it was really good. this album has been very sonically cohesive so far, that's for sure.

you could start a cult- ngl this song is probably my least favorite so far but it wasn't bad by any means, just not really super memorable (to me anyway). maybe it'll grow on me over time, that's probably it actually. i did enjoy the harmonica in the background though.

save my life- it's also pretty boppy, and it also has the 2010s meets 2020s feel! i love the chorus noise at ~interstellar~

on a night like tonight- ayyy wildest dreams reference! and also heaven reference! i feel like if it were any other artist, this would've been the opening track, but i do like where it was put in the tracklist. it's also a really sweet song, and i love how the beat drops.

science- this song is sister songs with meltdown. it has a similar feel as the show too, mostly because of the way that the chorus does that thing where it sounds like it's going to be one thing and it ends up being another thing. but i really liked this song! i can totally see myself playing this next time i'm up at 4 am and having a teeny tiny breakdown (the world's too heavy to shine 😞)

must be love- ok so the beginning is very relatable, like, always, but especially right now. the song kind of reminds me of that one taylor quote that's like "i try to plan everything, but i like the idea that love is the one exception" (not an exact quote). also the wordplay with a college degree/a first degree burn! inner english major is screaming!

alright final thoughts: it's a nice, really sonically cohesive album! a couple of the songs are going to need to be listened to a few more times before i really get them, and i'm definitely going to schedule a little anxiety sesh to process the show tonight. my top three are never grow up (best song), meltdown, and must be love!

#ty again to kayla for introducing me to this album #reading the post in full and we agreed about a lot of stuff!#can't wait to discuss it w/ u #.txtpost #whenitalkalot

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a-moth-to-the-light · 1 year

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KARD Comeback Celebration: My Favorite Debuts

KARD's four-song debut project is one of my favorite debuts--not only does it remain a k-pop classic, but it also produced one of my favorite songs ever. As I'm checking out KARD's newest comeback, I wanted to reflect on the k-pop debuts that have stuck with me in the same way KARD's did.

[Rules: B-sides from the debut album count because I said so!! Also, I tried not to pick obvious ones--like of course ShinEE's "Replay" and Yena's "Smiley" are awesome, but I think most of us already know that!]

Hot Issue -- 4Minute: This can't be my favorite 4Minute track, since "Volume Up" and "Crazy" exist, but it's REALLY fun. It's catchy, and the members really lean into the concept in a way that foreshadows later greatness. With a debut like this, it's hard not to love 4Minute, I think.

I Will Show You -- Ailee: Since "Heaven" was just a single, I'm not counting it as an official debut (plus, I like this one better, anyway)! "I Will Show You" is a transcendent showcase of vocal power that hits me right in the heart and carved out a space just for Ailee in my memory from first listen.

Fight Day -- Bol4: I actually didn't know that this was their debut until I looked it up and checked, but it's always been my favorite from their first album. It's alt-rock with a little bit of bite to it, added mostly by Bol4's unique vocals, and it's still one of their best songs.

One of Those Nights -- Key: This was actually my favorite song ever for a solid year or so, though Phoebe Bridgers eventually knocked it out of the top spot. The chorus just never stops hitting for me, transporting me to the soft, sentimental world of my favorite Webtoons with just a few notes.

Yolowa -- GWSN: This does a great job of displaying their signature super-sweet sound while pairing it with maybe their most memorable melody ever ??? Too good to be a b-side, truly.

Stay Up -- Baekhyun: Another b-side, but this album is too good for people to just listen to "UN Village." This track is a very soothing combo of a catchy chorus and muted tones--in other words, it's a perfect intro to his later albums!

Bon Bon Chocolat -- Everglow: I know everyone thought "So Bad" was pop perfection, but I'm actually kind of meh on it--which is especially weird considering that StayC is my favorite k-pop group! "Bon Bon Chocolat" is my "So Bad," icy but full of flavor. I think a lot of people liked "Bon Bon Chocolat" when it came out, but I don't hear about it enough anymore, so I'm bringing it back as an act of public service!

Flowering -- Lucy: This may well be my favorite Lucy song, and they've released some absolutely BEAUTIFUL stuff since. Right from their debut, they've had the bittersweet sound perfected, and this track is a wonderful demonstration of that.

Swear -- E'Last: I still vivdly remember experiencing this debut--the title track is grandiose, even a bit too melodically complex for a pop release, which fascinated me and kept me attached listen after listen, trying to figure out all the pieces of the song. Their vocalists take the challenge well, though, giving a performance to remember. Still their best song!

Ponzona -- Purplekiss: I'm glad "Sweet Juice" brought orchestral Purplekiss back, because I think its lush instrumental is exactly what made their debut so great. Though I haven't loved too much of their music since, I think I keep tuning in because of just how much I enjoyed this one.

Glassy -- Jo Yuri: The best Jo Yuri--a musical balancing act, a stunt I can't look away from, with equally delightful sections of chaos and order. Sweet and charming, but just dangerous enough to keep me interested from start to finish!

A channel I like, kpop stuffs, actually released a video ranking fourth gen debuts while I was working on this post! It's cute you should watch!! "Glassy" is way too low I'm crying (/j), but it's FINE I'll live I guess...

#2ne1's fire was cut from my list at the last minute #but i still listen to it i love it !!#this also inspired me to finally listen to taemin's debut and OKAY WOW I WAS MISSING OUT #not as good as his later stuff but like #that's a REALLY high bar anyway #comeback celebration!#kard

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