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sprinklesandshatters · 3 years

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A Review on NCT 127′s 3rd Album <Sticker>

So NCT 127 just came back with their 3rd Full Album <Sticker> and this is my first 127 comeback since I became a fan last year! Neozone is such a special album for me as it was their first album that I explored entirely. I've known NCT as the group who never fails any expectations so I've kept mine up although I know they'll exceed it anyway. And guess what, they did! I absolutely love their new album hence this review~

This isn't a technical music review—as I am not a musician myself—but rather a listener's honest takes, goofy notes, and interpretation on each of the tracks in the album. I admit I've also struggled to build my own opinions on some of the tracks until I listened to them over and over again.

I have also heard there are mixed opinions on the title track <Sticker> and a lot says it's another acquired taste. But I think it's not just that, as it can be a grower, just like how most of NCT's songs were for me. Maybe after a few listens and a right passage of time, it will grow on those people. The bottom line here is, I like it a lot! 😛

So I listed down the songs according to their respective track numbers and followed each with a bulleted list of my opinions and interpretations.

(Viewer/reader discretion: before you continue, minors, do not interact as there are few 18+ contents under the cut. Thank you.)

1. Sticker

THEY DIDN'T JUST PUNCH A NEW NOTCH ON THE BELT LIKE THAT

THIS SONG SLAPS, LITERALLY SLAPS… AND WHIPS

The recorder at the intro boyyyy I thought something was wrong but then I remember it’s NCT lmao

It already stuck in my head from my first listen from the Instagram audio.

With Taeyong opening the verse with his divine rapping, I knew I'm in for a new ride.

STICK-UH STICK-UGH STICK-UGHGHGH

To those complaining it sounding like noise music, imagine it sounding generic. I don't think it would fit as the title track. Not a b-track or in their repertoire, even. They are called NCT because they define the NEO in the music culture and music technology!

It honestly was an unorthodox, just like all of their title tracks, which I’m inherently here for.

Literally, no one does it like them!

The growls and the vocal flexes and adlibs! (You can tell it has Yoo Youngjin's brand.)

The crisp metronome sound that’s consistently ticking except for the pre-chorus and the dance break adds depth to the soundscape. I love how it’s used instead of the usual snaps.

The production quality blew my mind. Like how can someone think those melodies would sound so exquisite? CAN I CALL THEM GENIUS?

The piano at the back, oh my God—Yes! It adds this mystifying element to the song.

I'm not sure if it's a midi violin at the pre-chorus, but it added thrill to the song. It was a great transition from the bass line in the verses to the combination of the flawless harmony with the same instrumental.

"You treat me like a boy, like a grown-up child chasing a dream" JUNGWOO BABY NO MORE HUH

Taeil, Doyoung, and Haechan—the bridge vocal trinity!

But why the heck are they cowboys? I dig the concept, but why? LMAO

BTW GUNSLINGER MARK I’M ON MY KNEES YEEHAW

This is easily one of my favorite tracks from NCT 127's entire discography 💚

2. Lemonade

(⌐■_■)

Jaehyun starting off this song with his deep voice eee

The song opens to a verse oozing with chill confidence. They're like, yeah you're lurking because we’re cool.

This is such a huge slap to their haters. NCT's not chillin' like a villain, nah they're the main characters!

Well maybe they’re villains, but still ya not cooler than them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Funny enough how they could have just referred haters as simply lemons whose sour/bitter to the taste, but 127 squad's success is sweeter than all the haters' spiteful remarks so yeah, SIPPY SIPPY LEMONADE 🧃

"WOOF"

I might have just barked too wOW

Yuta’s vocals hooooO his voice just sounds so glamorous mhmm

Also Mark referencing their previous title tracks such as: Firetruck, Cherry Bomb, and Regular (it's Irregular in the lyrics) in his rap part 👌💅

I just love Mark's energy when he raps. HE RESOLUTELY BITES AND STRAIGHT UP EATS EVERY TIME HE DOES.

3. Breakfast

Now breakfast time, oh jeez!

AAAHAHFU—

Summer 127's bestie!

If Summer 127 talks about dancing all night long, Breakfast is the morning after.

You know what it is.

"Even if I gulp and drink you, it's not enough for me." oho Taeyong no you ha—STOP

Sexual innuendos aside, isn't it just sweet if someone tells you they'd want to have breakfast with you every day? Okay maybe I'm melting at the thought 😩🙈💞

And I can see myself dancing to this song as I make breakfast (in the afternoon or at midnight bc I’m crazy)

This was an okay b-track for me at the first skim on the album, but boy it grew on me wildly.

Honestly one of my favorite tracks in this album.

4. Focus

Did I just invade a private call? LMAO

The analog voice filters make it like so.

Dude, this feels intimate in the level of eavesdropping a phone call between seasoned lovers. Then you realize you hear them whispering their kinks over the line and you're ooh, that's sexy! hfgklhfhf

My first listen to this, I almost went feral because,

"I can't wait to eat you…" when it's actually "I can't wait 'til we chill…" aahaha

"Baby call me when you want me." OKAY!

This sounds relaxing and chill. I'd love to play this on a late night drive or just before bed time along with Fly Away With Me, Sun & Moon, My Youth, and Long Flight.

Belongs to ‘make out session’ playlist ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

That was lowkey a playlist recommendation, huh?

I'd be kidding if I don't say I could touch myself while listening to this song AHAHAFGHFJFJ

I didn't know this would grow on me this much lol I love love LOVE THIS!

5. The Rainy Night

Ooh, the holy melancholy!

Piano at the intro—I knew I'd cry to this.

This song isn't just about break-up, but the heartbreak after one.

The yearning; the remnant pieces from the shattering of what was once there.

I think I crumbled from this one.

This hit so hard I felt like I fit in the shoes with the lyrics throughout the entire song.

What’s fascinating is I clearly forgot the title when I mentally said this sounds like a sad rainy day song from the first listen.

Something I’d turn up when it suddenly rains, just because I want to feel the blues.

Taeil and Haechan singing in lower register? I wanna cry :( they’re just one of the best vocalists in K-music industry right now.

Could have been also nice if they added Yuta to the vocals.

"My selfish heart who waits for you to come back," OKAY WHO HURT THEM?

And the fact that they sang it so good that it translated every ounce of the emotions well even before I looked up for English translations is the reason why I love this song too.

6. Far

Hmm… What the hell?! Do I like this? Wait...

Alright!

The jumpy vibe from the first verse to the pre-chorus set the mood for this song. It sounds merry and heavy. It was honestly too much to take until I’ve reached the chorus part.

Honestly, I think this song could fit NCT Dream better, as it gives off a vibe similar to Hello Future's b-tracks. If some credible source say this could have made HF’s track list, I might believe you too fast.

Also Dream’s Deja Vu where they go na nananananana na na na~

Playful yet confident! That’s what I mean!

As usual, the vocals are insane! Vocal flex from left to right!

I swear Jungwoo sounded a bit like Taemin at the second verse that I had to replay it hahaha

I love hearing Johnny as a vocalist! SM, how many signs do you need until you utilize his vocal talent???

Taeil's part where he sings, "go nuts, go nuts, 'til we go bust, go bust" IDEK BUT I SNORTED A LAUGH AT FIRST LISTEN HFCAHKFHK

Not my favorite, but still great though!

But wait it’s actually stuck in my head???

7. Bring The Noize

Yes, they never beat those noise music allegations

HERE'S SOME NOIZE, BITCHES

I love me some noisy percussions. AND THE BASS YO

This screams so much confidence!

The build up from the pre-chorus to the chorus—FIRE!

This song reminds me a lot of SuperM's Super Car, especially with the engine roar samples and the battle cry-like singing at the chorus.

JAEHYUN RAPPING? You mean Jaehyun the visual, the vocalist, the actor, the model, the funny dude, aka my everything?! (markie bb look pls look away for a moment)

THEY DELIVERED IT STRAIGHT FROM NEOCITY THAT'S SOME NCT MUSIC RIGHT THERE NO ONE DOES IT LIKE THEM

When I said I'd play Focus on a late night drive, and if I add this in the playlist, VROOM VROOM SPEED LIMIT WHAT

OUTTA MY WAY

“We got no shame” ouh TAEYONG’S FLOW IS JUST VERY HIM AND HE’S IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN

You know what's so clever about this song? It's how it ended with Mark's final rap without any instrumental, leaving you standing there with a doppler effect-like post experience.

A super car on a super speed just whooshed past you and you look its way as it zips through the road. It's gone in an instant but you're floored dumbfounded at a sidewalk. That's how I describe this song.

8. Magic Carpet Ride

This song… Wow. Oh gosh it's so beautiful.

Their harmony in the chorus—it makes me want to kiss someone so passionately that I'd cry.

This makes me want to feel love that transcends the universe. Literally, just please take me on a magic carpet ride :(

The background harmonies too oh my goodness—HEAVENLY.

Jaehyun's voice is so warm and soulful it fits perfectly with songs of this genre.

Okay alright Doyoung Grande!

And Taeil makes me feel like I'm listening to old school R&B.

The first time I heard this from the track video, I can't stop replaying because it's just that great.

This makes me want to love. I think that sums it up.

9. Road Trip

This is such a soothing song for me, especially how I easily become nostalgic thinking about the road trips I've had.

Whenever I listen to this, my brain immediately conjures up thoughts of my ideal getaways. Gazing at the sky through the car window, stirring up from a nap in the middle of the ride, and eventually reaching your destination.

Oh, to travel around anywhere... (curse you covid-19)

Okay that's it. I'M PACKING UP.

But where do I go—

I could also imagine Mark playing this on the guitar and the other members sing along together, something like that.

Just Wholesome™ vibes.

I love how it evokes such a nice emotion within me effortlessly.

This isn't my favorite, but I still love this.

10. Dreamer

Eyyyy such a refreshing song!

This song is so bright it makes me want to dance. I play this first in the shower!

It reminds me so much of Elevator (from Neozone)

The horns make it more lively I think!

Yuta and Jungwoo's voice suits lively songs like this.

The background vocal in low register in Taeyong's part in the first verse is so good ahhfhf

Taeil, the R&B vocal king you are...

There's this part where Doyoung and Johnny harmonized, that at first listen they seemed to clash, but it sounded actually fine after a few listens. Maybe it's just that I've never heard them do it before.

And I think it's Doyoung's laugh at the end of the bridge? Oh my goodness I really love this too!

11. Promise You

MY FIRST LOVE AND MOST FAVORITE SONG IN THE ALBUM!!!

The first time I heard this from their NCIT Sharehouse Sitcom, I fell in love with the song already.

It sounds like something you'd feel from a warm, welcoming hug.

The lyrics are so beautiful and endearing. It's definitely a be-there-for-you type of song that will touch your heart.

It definitely sounds like a promise.

A song about platonic intimacy.

This really fits to be the closing song of the album. It's like the end of it but holds a promise that says “see you soon.”

Because they cherish their fans like that.

It's also like I've watched a movie with a happy ending, where the camera pans up to the clear sky and this song starts playing.

Speaking of ending, I would love to hear them sing this as an encore stage in their concert. You know, that moment just before the stage lights die down at the end of the concert where they send final blows of flying kisses to NCTzens. Then you come home smiling and crying.

This wasn't supposed to be this long since I originally planned to write this with just simple phrases and emojis but I got too engrossed lol. I also meant to include my own ratings but I figured it’s pointless since I can’t really decide about them hahaha

I really enjoyed the whole album and I love how they're progressively defining what NEO means by breaking through standards. It's not NCT music if it doesn't make you say "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?" But then you realize it’s stuck in your head and you’re enjoying it already.

✨ OVERALL RATING: 127/10 💚

if you’ve reached until here, thank you for letting me share you a braincell or two 💞

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enkelimagnus · 3 years

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A Castle in the Forest

Percy x Vex’ahlia, Chapter 7, 3038 words,

A Modern AU, in which Vex is a park ranger taking over the Alabaster Sierras post, and finds much more than she bargained for

Read on AO3

Vax makes it to Whitestone....

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Vax makes it to the cabin on a rainy afternoon. Vex is busy sketching out some areas she thinks need clearer trail markers and deciding where to implant emergency contact boxes, when she hears an engine running and a vehicle getting closer to the cabin.

She peeks from the window, her eyes catching the gleaming metal of her brother’s motorcycle. She immediately bolts from her seat at the table, startling a napping Trinket, and opens the door. She runs down the stairs and into her brother’s arms.

He’s just had time to take off his helmet, long dark hair held in a low ponytail for the road. She hugs him tightly, his leather motorcycle jacket smelling like hide and patchouli. She’s missed everything about him.

For a while, they stand there, hugging each other. There’s no one around and no use in pretending they don’t love each other right now. It’s been much too long. Vex remembers when a single day without him was torture. Now it’s usual. That saddens her somewhat.

“Welcome to Whitestone,” she grins. “How was the road?”

“Dreadful,” Vax rolls his eyes and grabs his bag, letting go of her to start walking back into the cabin, away from the rain and the cold. “This place is… ghostly, really.”

Vex huffs. “It’s not that bad, come on,” she mumbles. He’s right though.

Whitestone, especially in the sort of rain that’s currently falling, is ghostly. White stone walls and overturned ship-like buildings, with people that stare at strangers like they’re time-ticking bombs… Ghostly. In the time she’s spent here, she’s only started seeing the shadows and the phantoms.

“Is that the little munchkin you’ve called your Trinket?” Vax asks as Vex closes the door of the cabin after him.

He puts his back down next to the bed, heavy boots walking carefully towards Trinket. She’s put him in his crate so he would get used to Vax’s presence without threatening him, or himself.

“Yup,” she nods. “He’s young, but… he could be a good companion,” she points out, her voice as innocent as possible.

Vax looks up at her. “You’re taking on a companion?” He asks, with a raised eyebrow. He thought she never wanted to, especially after Saundor. That’s what she’s told him many times, after all. No companion, she’s not bringing something innocent into this, she’s better off being a hunter. Alone and fixated on one enemy. Dragons were her original choice. Fey her second. She doesn’t want the permanence of companionship… At least she didn’t. Before Trinket.

“I’m not sure yet,” Vex shrugs, trying to escape his gaze. “But… I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and he’s perfect. He’s going to grow big and strong, and protective. And he’s… I’ve grown attached to him.”

Vax shrugs off his jacket and sits down at one of the chairs, looking around the cabin. His eyes glide across the small kitchen, the bed, the fireplace, the ladder up to the lookout and the door to the bathroom. He hums.

“This is… cozy,” he points out.

Vex chuckles. “Very different where you spent the last few days, I imagine?” She asks teasingly.

“You’re a ranger, not a sorcerer with an amazing business,” Vax points out. “I am not expecting the same thing.” He shrugs. “Besides, this is nice. Warm and comfortable.”

His eyes fall on her again and she feels the scrutiny in them. She can’t hide a single thing from him. She was never able to.

“You look… tired, but good,” he says after a moment. “I’m guessing you resolved a problem, recently? You have that… satisfied smug look on you. But not the one from right after it. The couple-days-old one.”

Vex rolls her eyes at him but doesn’t deny it. It’s not worth the trouble. “We had a barbed devil. Killed one for sure, the ranger here before me. Probably more. I had sensed it a while ago, but… I had trouble finding help.”

Vax raises an eyebrow and Vex proceeds to give him the rundown on everything that has happened, on the people of Whitestone and their lack of wanting to talk to her, on Pike and Grog.

“Gilmore tried to contact the local rulers to get a teleportation circle added to the city,” Vax explains once she’s done. “He didn’t manage to find anyone. There are no rulers in Whitestone, as far as anyone knows.”

“It seems they all died in a horrific massacre a few years ago. It’s impossible to get anyone to give me details about it,” Vex shrugs. “But why is Gilmore that interested in Whitestone? There’s nothing for him here.”

Vax chuckles, crossing his legs. “You live here. I like to come and see you.” His smirk is telling.

Vex chuckles back. “I see… He loves to dote on you, doesn’t he?”

“What can I say?” Vax shrugs. “I deserve it.”

Vex absolutely agrees with that. She appreciates Gilmore for many things, but the most important is how he treats her brother. He might be the very first person to take care of Vax the way he deserves, to spoil him. And he’s the first person that Vax doesn’t stop from spoiling him.

He’s had powerful lovers before, in Syngorn or in other places. Vax is handsome and charming in his own grumpy way, and Vex knows first-hand how sometimes, the disgust Syngornians showed towards the two of them could easily turn into sexual curiosity. But Gilmore doesn’t want Vax because he’s a dirty half-human. And that changes everything, including Vex’s appreciation of the man.

“You sure do, brother,” Vex hums and turns to pour them both a cup of coffee. “I’m afraid there isn’t much for you to do here. You can potentially make nice with the people in town and snoop for me?” She asks.

“Is that why you asked me to come?” he answers. “To spy for you the information you can’t get?”

“I asked you here because I missed you,” Vex stares at him. “And I don’t like being away from you for too long. But if you can… Ask a few questions while you’re here, I’d appreciate it greatly.”

“Fine,” Vax shrugs. “But first, I need a lay of the land. Any information you haven’t given me yet. And an idea of whether some of the wealth around here could be redistributed to the people. No rulers means there’s probably chests of gold and jewels some of these folks could use.”

“Two temples. The one of Pelor is in the cemetery, outside of town. They don’t seem to have anything you’d want, but they might have some ideas of who the richest families used to be. I saw some pretty impressive mausoleums around there,” Vex starts. “The second one is in town. Temple to Erathis. I’ve heard about some empty noble houses, and there’s the castle, but it’s been years. I think all of the possible left behind wealth was promptly redistributed already.”

Vax raises an eyebrow, but says nothing, deep in thought.

They stay like this for a moment until Vex huffs and stands up. “Come on,” she smiles. “Let’s go into town and get some supplies. They’re announcing snow later this week and we need enough to be able to survive out here for a while.”

Vax rolls his eyes but stands up, grabbing his coat. Vex gets ready to go as well, thick coat, quiver and bow and the keys to the truck. She pets Trinket goodbye and they get into the truck, starting the drive down.

The heating is on in the cabin of the car and Vax waits about two minutes before turning on the radio. He hums under his breath the pop songs that blast out of the speaker, letting go of his grumpy goth image for once. She’ll never tell anyone that he knows the lyrics to Brit Nayspears’ entire discography.

She points out some trails as they drive past, things that have been causing her issues, the campsite that will hold the local wilderness survival adventure once summer comes around. Winter months are much calmer for rangers than summer ones are, but she’s still looking forward to seeing what the sun looks like reflected off of the Alabaster Sierras peaks.

Vax seems interested. He always does. He listens to her and that’s one of the best things about him. They end up dueting over some song on the radio, at first only humming and mumbling the words. By the time they drive through the city gates, they are scream-singing. Vex can’t stop smiling.

The cold bites as they slam the doors shut and walk away from the previously heated cabin of the truck. They’re not the only ones out for supplies. There are other trucks with crates and bags in the parking lot.

The covered market stands two blocks from the parking lot. Its roof is like an enormous overturned ship and white stones rise from the ground to meet the wood, providing a tall and breathable marketplace underneath. It’s cold still, there’s no use in trying to heat the entire volume of the building. It would only waste spell and components, or wood if they were trying to do it magicless.

They start going through the stalls, grabbing a lot of root vegetables and things that will not perish too fast. If they’re stuck in the snow, Vex is hoping to have a few days of fresh and non-canned food before they have to resort to the cans, but she knows it’s not that easy.

For the meat, she’ll go hunting. There’s no need to bother herself with purchasing beef or anything of that nature. Her freezer can hold at least one deer carcass. She’s measured it. It’s not really a surprise, anyway. The cabin was built as a safe haven for long winters and snow falls. There’s a couple of emergency mattresses rolled up under her bed, enough to allow a couple of people to sleep, albeit uncomfortably, if they’re stuck with her during a storm. It’s a refuge. And a refuge can hold at least one deer carcass.

“Do I really have to carry all of this?” Vax whines as she places a small cart over his arms.

“If you weren’t here, I’d need half of this. So you’re gonna pull your weight,” Vex shrugs.

Vax rolls his eyes. “You invited me, remember?” He calls out as she walks over to get some more potatoes. Neither of them really mean the bickering, but it feels good to do it.

There’s a light chuckle behind him and he turns around, trying not to spill over the contents of the carts he’s carrying. A few feet from him stands a young person with dark brown hair that shifts to white streaks around the temple. They’re watching him with quiet amusement.

“Older sibling?” They ask with a smile and a raised eyebrow. They look tired, and the smile is a little shaky.

“Twin, actually,” Vax replies. “She’s the ranger for the Alabaster Sierras outpost. I’m visiting,” he explains quickly. “Vax’ildan. Would shake your hand but…”

They nod. “Your hands are busy, I get it. I’m Cassandra. Whitestone native. And I know what siblings can be like.” Their eyes are sad.

Vax tries to keep an inviting and smiling face, but it’s not exactly natural to him. He’s not used to this. Out of the two of them, Vex is the charming and open one. She’s the one that gets information, food, good prices and extra help from strangers.

“So you’re the person to ask if I want to know what to do around here in the winter months?” He asks, trying to add a bit of a flirty undertone to his voice.

Cassandra chuckles. “I don’t know. I’m not really a tourist guide, but… The trails can be fun in winter if you’re into cold hikes. Your sister can probably be more helpful than me for this,” they point out. The flirting does not seem to be landing.

“You’re probably right,” Vax shrugs. “I was just… I did some research before coming here, but there’s so little information about this town online…” He explains. “There’s a website, but it hasn’t been updated in what? Five years?”

He’s not lying. The only updated information comes from the TWC website that he knows Vex is somewhat responsible for keeping up to date. The rest is at least five years old. It’s as if the town has stopped evolving and living since then.

Cassandra stiffens slightly. “That’s weird,” they mutter. For some reason, Vax doesn’t believe that it is very weird to them.

“Is there anyone to talk to about that? Like a heritage association or a city council or something?” Vax is trying to fish for information, and hopefully it’s not too obvious.

“No,” Cassandra shakes their head. “There’s no one like that. Whitestone is not… This is not a good city for mass tourism, it’s not a good city for outsiders.” Their jaw is set. “You won’t find anyone to help you, and I’m sorry. But that’s just how it’s been for the last few years.”

“Since the massacre, right? The De Rolo massacre?” Vax pushes a little. “Vex, my sister, told me about it.”

Those words make something ripple underneath Cassandra’s dark eyes, pain and sadness and many other emotions that make Vax feel like he’s just kicked a hornet’s nest. If they were closed off to talking before, they’re now screwed shut, lips tight, ready to flee. And flee they do.

Cassandra takes a step back, shoving their hands into the pockets of their blue coat with uncomfortable determination. It all screams of a deep desire to escape. “Listen, I have to go. It was nice to meet you, Vax’ildan. Good luck with your stay in Whitestone.” They say before sliding away in a hurry.

Vax doesn’t go after them. There’s one thing he knows, and that’s not to run after people who are trying to escape you. He’s been through enough situations where the roles were reversed, and he doesn’t want to be a threat. He’s here to be a charming, smiling person, to get information from people for Vex.

And fuck. He just failed miserably at his first attempt. That entire interaction was a mess and Vax really thought he would be better than this. But Vex wasn’t exaggerating when she talked about the closed offness of the inhabitants of Whitestone. And maybe he'd overestimated his own charming abilities.

Vex comes back eventually, raising an eyebrow at his slightly frustrated face. “Something happened?” She asks curiously.

“I was talking to this person. Cassandra, they said? Dark hair, white streaks around the temples,” he describes.

“I’ve seen them a couple of times before, around some of the temples,” Vex points out. “The one time we talked, they seemed to be in a hurry.”

So that’s a common attitude then, not just something he’s caused. That’s a little bit of a consolation. He recounts the conversation to Vex as they start walking out of the covered market to put their haul into the back of the truck. They have a couple more things to do in town.

Snow starts falling lightly while they’re on the drive back. Vax takes the time to call Gilmore for a few minutes, unsure of whether his cell will have service back at the cabin if there’s snow covering the Alabaster Sierras.

Vex keeps her eyes open the entire trip through town for red hair and antlers. She worries about Keyleth. If she was close to the fiend, as Vex suspected, she is probably not doing good at the moment. She doesn’t know exactly the depths of enthrallment, and how far it changes someone to care for fiends. She hopes it’s not deep enough that the druid is now broken with grief.

But she is nowhere to be seen. Vax hangs up on Gilmore as they turn off of the biggest road and up the mud path that leads to the cabin. There’s a good ten minutes of drive left, maybe even more with the growing wetness of the ground. They’re going to be very thankful for both the fire and the supplies. Vex is glad she decided to go today.

“So what do you think of Whitestone, now that you’ve experienced some of it?” She asks, eyes darting for barely a second to Vax on the passenger seat. He’s looking at the snow like its falling is a personal offence.

“The people are… lovely,” he starts. “But there’s something not quite right in the air. I…” He looks over at her for a moment before looking away. “I admit I thought you were a little paranoid when you were telling me about it.”

Vex’s jaw tightens and she nods slightly, a controlled, small motion.

“You don’t have a great track record at being alone in the woods,” he points out. “You’re doing much better than the last time though. And I can see what you meant, about the heaviness hanging over the city. About the unsaid horrors. That… de Rolo massacre story. That Cassandra person looked quite spooked.”

Vax breathes out as the cabin comes into view at the end of the path. “I’m gonna stay for a little while, if you don’t mind. I don’t like leaving you alone like this, especially with this whole mystery.”

Anger lurches in Vex’s chest for a second, her vision tunnelling, her hands tightening their grip on the wheel. She can handle herself. She doesn’t need Vax to save her again, she’s not going to make the same mistake again. For a moment, it’s all she can think. How dare he come to her rescue again when she doesn’t need him?

But she does need him. Not to save her. But she needs him around. She doesn’t do great without him, they’re a team in all the ways that matter. Having him here right now is the best she’s felt since she arrived. It’s hard for her to reconcile with that anger at his worry but…

She gives him a small smile. “It’ll be nice. Close-quartered but nice.” She nods and parks the truck in front of the cabin.

#perc'ahlia #vex'ahlia #percy de rolo #vox machina #vax'ildan #critical role #fic #mine

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tigerlilyhasablog · 4 years

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Life During the Apocalypse

Hello darlings! Hope everyone is doing well… Hope you all are safe, healthy and not going too crazy if you are in self isolation. Since I’m stuck in the house with quite a bit of extra time, I’d like to try to blog a bit more than usual. I thought it would be kind of fun to share with you what I have been up to at home, so enjoy: The Day in the Life of a Quarantined Teen.🙃

Remote school

First for the dull stuff. My university moved to remote learning the week of March 6th, and while they originally said it would be “until further notice”, they have since announced that it will be like this for the rest of the semester. It’s definitely more boring than going to class, and I miss going to school and seeing people, but I don’t mind it that much. It’s kinda funny, ’cause I was homeschooled for most of my life, up until college, so doing this is like going back to the old days of being homeschooled. 🙂 Right now I’m actually on Spring Break, so this week I’m mainly just chillin’.

What I’ve been watching

I’ve been meaning to get Disney+ for eons now, but never got around to it. My sister and I decided that hey, what better time than now? The very first thing that we watched was High School Musical… Don’t judge me.😂 Somehow I had gone through life never having watched this iconic piece of pop culture, but I decided it was time to amend that. What can I say: it is equal amounts completely terrible and utterly amazing.

Finally watched The Mandalorian as well, which is really, genuinely good. I feel so-so about most Star Wars stuff – I don’t dislike it, but I don’t love it – but damn, I got into this show immediately. The way that they’ve made it like a Western? So good. The characters, the visuals, the storyline… 👌🏻 And yes, I would die for Baby Yoda.

Once we finished that season, we began on Agent Carter, and we just finished the first season last night. I felt so-so about it for like, the first two episodes, but after that I got really into it and like, damn, it’s really good! Two thumbs up from me.

Other than Disney, the only other thing that I’ve watched recently is The Miseducation of Cameron Post. It’s been on my want-to-watch list for a while now, and the other day my school gave me access to a site with a bunch of free films on it, one of which was this movie, which I was really excited about. Fuck, it was good. Really hit hard, Chloe Grace Moretz was incredible, as was the rest of the cast, just a really powerful story of course. I liked the indie feel of the whole thing… Sometimes you can just tell, you know? The 90s aesthetic was also great.

What I’ve been listening to

Being stuck in the house has giving me lots of opportunity to listen to music basically all of the time, so let me share some of the stuff I have been loving right now:

Conan Gray’s Kid Krow – I am really loving this album. It is packed with bops, as well as some fantastic sad-boi songs. I’ve liked Conan’s stuff for a bit now, but in a rather passive way… Now I would say that my fan-ness (not a word, I know) has been solidified.

Ed Sheeran – let me introduce you to the little underground indie artist I’ve recently discovered. Haha. It’s kinda funny that I’ve gotten so into Ed lately, cuz I mean, of course I’ve listened to his stuff for a while now. But like, I guess I’ve never delved very deep into his discography? But lately I’ve been listening to the entirety of each of his albums, and I’m a little obsessed. Guess I should have believed the hype sooner, huh?

Alec Benjamin – someone else who I’ve been into for quite a while, but who I’ve been listening to even more lately. His songs have made their way onto “Music of the Month” a couple times already, and I’ll tell you right now that he’s on there this month, too. 🙂 I don’t think he has a single bad song. I have tickets to see him in May, provided corona doesn’t fuck that up, and I’m really excited!

Lauv’s Modern Loneliness – bops. bops. bops. What else can I say? Bops.

Foster the People – ok, this band has such nostalgia for me. Torches was like, all that I listened to in like 2012/13. I hadn’t really listened to them lately, and hadn’t really explored their more recent stuff. But the other day I put on their Spotify playlist and had a dance party to them all afternoon and it made me so fucking happy.

What else I’ve been up to

Spending way too much time on the internet – gotta go ahead and get this one out of the way. I’d love to say that I’ve been super productive and learned a ton of new things and been really creative, but if I’m entirely honest, what I’ve really done is wasted a ton of time on YouTube/Tumblr/TikTok.😬

Drawing – I have gotten some stuff done though! I haven’t used this time for art as much as I’d like, but I’ve been sketching some, and also been playing around with a drawing app… I’ve always been a pencil-and-paper person, but doing it digitally is kinda fun!

My latest project? A vine compilation, of course.😂 Here is the beginnings of it:

Making music – again, not as much as I should be, but I’ve been playing the guitar and singing quite a bit. I’ve been doing it in a very relaxed, just-singing-what-i-want-to kind of way, which is nice. I guess I’ll use this opportunity to plug my Soundcloud (which I rarely post on, oops.)

Working out – I always exercise pretty regularly, but I’ve decided that this is the perfect opportunity to ramp it up a bit. My family and I have been going on walks every day, since that’s the only way we can get out, and I’ve been doing the Chloe Ting 2 Week Shred Challenge. It’s fucking tough, but I’m very excited about getting in shape.

Texting for the Bernie Sanders team – this has been fun! It’s a super-easy way to get involved in a campaign… I’d love to say I could make calls, and I hope to eventually, but it makes me really nervous. But texting is something anyone can do! Basically all campaigns have moved online, so if you have some extra time on your hands, get involved from home, either in a political campaign or something on the activism side of things! You can text, call, do stuff with social media… do it!

Catching up with friends – this one is smaller in terms of how much I’ve been doing it, but I’d just like to remind you that this is a great time to text or call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. I know I often feel weird about just contacting someone out of the blue, but in a strange time such as this I think it is the perfect opportunity to check in with someone and see how they are holding up. Even though we can’t see each other in person, we’ve got to stick together in this tough time and keep up our relationships in a long-distance fashion.

Final thoughts

Okay, that’s all for now! It’s looking like this whole situation is gonna last for a while, so maybe I’ll make another one of these in a few weeks and let you know what else I’ve been up to! I’d just like to end with a little thought: if you are stuck at home and bored and going a little stir-crazy, please remember that we are privileged to be in this situation. There are some people for whom this means that they are out of work, desperate, scared. There are others who are older or immunocompromised who know that getting the virus could be a matter of life or death. Others are not able to work from home and have no choice but to go out every day and risk getting infected. And others have been forced to go home and be quarantined with abusive family members. Even though this is tough for everyone, if your main problem is that you are bored, make sure you put it into perspective and be grateful that that is your biggest worry.

I hope that didn’t sound preachy, but I just think we have to remember that it could be a lot worse. Now, stay safe, stay healthy, and for fuck sake, don’t go out unless you have to. ❤️

#personal #blogging #self isolation #coronavirus #quarantine #my life #disney #the mandalorian #agent carter #high school musical #conan gray #ed sheeran #alec benjamin #lauv #foster the people #bernie #bernie2020 #bernie sanders

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helloyellowwords · 4 years

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continuous themes on lover, the album, by taylor swift (not exhaustive, but I TRIED)

colours (obviously, lots of blue):

London Boy: show me a gray sky // faded blue jeans

Soon You’ll Get Better: holy orange bottles // i'll paint the kitchen neon

Afterglow: blew things out of proportion, now you're blue

ME!:but one of these things is not like the others like a rainbow with all of the colors

Lover: my heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue

Cruel Summer: it's blue, the feeling i've got

I Think he Knows: indigo eyes

Miss Americana: we're so sad, we paint the town blue

Paper Rings: i'm with you even if it makes me blue which takes me back to the color that we painted your brother's wall

Daylight: i once believed love would be black and white but it's golden // i once believed love would be burning red but it's golden

It’s Nice to Have a Friend: Light pink sky

night/dark:

I Forgot That You Existed: but then something happened one magical night

The Archer: i wake in the night, i pace like a ghost

Daylight: i've been sleeping so long in a 20-year dark night // Or the things that haunt me in the middle of the night

I Think He Knows: i whisper in the dark// go there every night

Cruel Summer: Fever dream high in the quiet of the night// every night that summer just to seal my fate

Paper Rings: now i wake up in the night and watch you breathe // kiss me once 'cause you know I had a long night (Oh)

Death By A Thousand Cuts: Flashbacks waking me up

light:

I Forgot That You Existed: lived in the shade you were throwing 'til all of my sunshine was gone, gone, gone

Cruel Summer: so cut the headlights

Afterglow:this ultraviolet morning light below // Meet me in the afterglow

Daylight: everyone looked worse in the light // and now i see daylight, i only see daylight

Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince i'm lost in the lights

it's brighter now, now

Cornelia Street: as if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead

Lover: we could leave the christmas lights up 'til january

Death By A Thousand Cuts: Chandelier's still flickering here

Soon You’ll Get Better: doctor's office lighting

YNTCD: Sunshine on the street at the parade

uhm, drinks and being...not sober:

Cruel summer: i'm drunk in the back of the car and i cried like a baby coming home from the bar

Paper rings: the moon is high like your friends were the night that we first met // the wine is cold

Cornelia Street: drunk on something stronger than the drinks in the bar

Death By A Thousand Cuts: I get drunk, but it's not enough // Gave up on me like I was a bad drug

London Boy:Tennessee whiskey // Drinking in the afternoon (Yeah)

False God: Got the wine for you

YNTCD: But you're takin' shots at me like it's Patrón

seasons/weather:

Lover: i've loved you three summers now, honey, but i want 'em all

Cruel Summer: every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)

ME!: livin' in winter, i am your summer // And when we had that fight out in the rain

Cornelia Street: windows flung right open, autumn air

Miss American: and now the storm is coming

Paper Rings: in the winter, in the icy outdoor pool //i want your dreary mondays

towns/places:

I Forgot That You Existed: free rent, living in my mind // would've fought the whole town, so yeah

Miss Americana: american glory faded before me // we paint the town blue

Cornelia Street: and baby, i get mystified by how this city screams your name

Daylight: maybe i've stormed out of every single room in this town // my love was as cruel as the cities i lived in // back and forth from new york (sneaking in your bed)

Death By A Thousand Cuts: our country, guess it was a lawless land // the only thing we share is this small town

London Boy: I love my hometown as much as Motown (and basically the entire song)

False God: Staring out the window like I’m not your favorite town // I'm New York City you're the West Village

home:

Cornelia Street: as if the street lights pointed in an arrow head leading us home // memorize the creaks in the floor // walk me back to that apartment

London Boy: They say home is where the heart is But that's not where mine lives

Its Nice to Have A Friend: Feels like home

False God: years ago, we were just inside barefoot in the kitchen

Lover // and this is our place, we make the rules // Take me out, and take me home

Death By A Thousand Cuts: I take the long way home

I Think He Knows: When we get all alone, I'll make myself at home

Paper Rings: Went home and tried to stalk you on the internet

death/blood/fighting/conflict:

The Archer (obviously): combat, i'm ready for combat // i've been the archer, i've been the prey // i pace like a ghost

Cruel Summer: what doesn't kill me makes me want you more // summer's a knife// and if i bleed, you'll be the last to know // i'm not dying // killing me slow, out the window

I Forgot That You Existed: and i thought that it would kill me, but it didn't

and ran for my life

Afterglow: I pinned your hands behind your back, thought I had reason to attack, but no// Fighting with a true love is boxing with no gloves// Tell me this love is worth the fight, oh

Death By A Thousand Cuts

conflicting emotions/ secrecy:

The Archer: I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches i almost said to you // I say I don't want that, but what if I do?

Cruel Summer: and if i bleed, you'll be the last to know // i don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you // and i snuck in through the garden gate // said, "i'm fine," but it wasn't true

daylight: sneaking in your bed

Death By A Thousand Cuts: ’Cause I can't pretend it's okay when it's not

Soon You’ll Get Better: I just pretend it isn't real // I didn't tell you I was scared

childhood/youth:

The Archer: i never grew up, it's getting so old // All the king's horses, all the king's men couldn't put me together again

I Think He Knows: it's like i'm 17, nobody understands // He got that boyish look that I like in a man

London Boy: like a child when our eyes meet

Miss Americana: I'm crazier for you than I was at 16

rules/games

Cruel Summer: devils roll the dice // no rules in breakable heaven

Daylight: there are so many lines that i've crossed unforgiven

Miss Americana: you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes // voted most likely to run away with you // my team is losing, battered and bruising // i see the high fives between the bad guys

Lover: and this is our place, we make the rules

spiritual

Cruel Summer: he looks up, grinning like a devil // devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes // no rules in breakable heaven

Soon You’ll Get Better: Desperate people find faith, so now I pray to Jesus too

False God (the whole song): Religion's in your lips even if it's a false god // We'd still worship this love // The altar is my hips // I know heaven's a thing I go there when you touch me, honey

Hell is when I fight with you // Make confessions and we’re begging for forgiveness

Cornelia Street: Sacred new beginnings that became my religion, listen

school/classrooms:

I forgot that you existed: laughed on the school yard as soon as I tripped up and hit the ground, ground, ground.

miss Americana: they whisper in the hallway, "she's a bad, bad girl" // the whole school is rolling fake dice

It's Nice To Have a Friend (the entire song, but specifically:) school bell rings, walk me home

London Boy: we are watching rugby with his school friends

Stories:

Cornelia Street: We were a fresh page on the desk Filling in the blanks as we go

Death By A Thousand Cuts: But if the story’s over, why am I still writing pages?

driving/car/streets:

Paper Rings: I want to drive away with you

The Archer: I jump from the train, I ride off alone

I Think He Knows: His footprints on the sidewalk lead to where I can't stop // He got my heartbeat skipping down 16th Avenue // hand on my thigh we could follow the sparks, I'll drive

Cornelia Street: We were in the backseat // I say casually in the car // You hold my hand on the street

Death By A Thousand Cuts: I ask the traffic lights if it'll be alright they say, "I don't know"

London Boy: a rainy cab ride

False God: They say the road gets hard and you get lost

It's Nice to Have A Friend: Sidewalk chalk covered in snow

burn/fire:

The Archer // The room is on fire, invisible smoke

Afterglow: Chemistry 'til it blows up, 'til there’s no us // I'm the one who burned us down

Miss Americana: American stories burning before me

Daylight: Clearing the air, I breathed in the smoke

Taylor just being so, so in love

Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close?

It's you and me, that's my whole world // It's you and me, there's nothing like this

you are the only one who seems to care

Three times 'cause I waited my whole life

Darling, you're the one I want

Just wanna be with you, wanna be with you

You're the only one of you, baby, that's the fun of you

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you. I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you

I want you, bless my soul

You know I adore you, I'm crazier for you

I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover

All's well that ends well to end up with you

Swear to be over dramatic and true to my lover

This originally started out as 3 subtitles and then as I was going through the lyrics I found SO MANY THEMES and i was like “???” because I had never even picked up on them before. So before I knew it I was going through the lyrics for the 3rd time and being mind blown. There’s still some more subtle themes I didn’t list (for e.g hopelessness, fear and more!) but I did a lot!! Hope you enjoyed, this took forever!!

p.s do I want to make one of these theme lists for every song Taylor has ever written...mayhaps. It would simply be so interesting because Taylor constantly refers to old songs and !! but I know it would take forever to go through her whole discography :(( Perhaps I’ll do this with some other albums separately though!

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disappearingground · 5 years

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No Nostalgia: Jenny Lewis on 'Rabbit Fur Coat' Ten Years Later

VICE February 2, 2016

When Lewis wrote this LP she was still figuring out what she believed in. Now she reflects on how far she's come and her all-female record label, Lovesway.

By Dianca London

The first songs I learned were hymns, stripped down and chock-full of harmonies, gospel became the soundtrack to my childhood. I sang “Precious Lord Take My Hand” to my dolls on countless afternoons and hummed “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” during games of hopscotch at recess. Whenever my family went to the community swimming pool or ventured to the Jersey Shore for a weekend trip, I whistled “Take Me To the Water” until my mouth grew tired. Or until I was asked to stop.

As the years passed, my appetite for “old-time religion”—ie. a sort of "back to the basics" core expression of Christian faith—became more nuanced. I developed a craving for something different. I started searching for similar chords and lyrical narratives in songs that I could call my own, songs that I hadn’t inherited from my grandmother or my parents. I wanted to lose myself in the melodies that existed outside the confines of leather bound hymnals. Jenny Lewis, in that sense was an answer to that prayer.

In addition to backbeats and catchy chords, it was Lewis’ ability to tell a story without hesitance that converted me to a diehard fan. At an instant, I was struck by the raw candor of the quasi-autobiographical narrator on Rilo Kiley’s 2002 song “A Better Son/Daughter,” drawn in by her refusal to downplay the anxieties of expectations, relationships, and the perpetual demand of a 9-5. Years later, I encountered what felt like a resurrected version of that same narrator in “Handle With Care.” Offering a litany of flaws, fears, and unabashed confessions, “Handle With Care,” much like the rest of Lewis’ debut solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat, seemed to add something more to the tradition that first introduced me to music. “Run, Devil Run” and “Happy” felt sacred. The album’s final minutes played out like an intimate benediction. The first time I heard Lewis sing with The Watson Twins, I felt like I was a little girl again, listening to my mom sing along to gospel LPs from the 70s. Reminiscent of Loretta Lynn, Nina Simone, Skeeter Davis, and Aretha, Lewis' songs became for me what “Amazing Grace” was for my mother. Her songs offered a different kind of salvation; it was Lewis’ sincerity that saved me.

Currently touring to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the album's release, Lewis, who is admittedly “not really one for nostalgia,” has returned to the stage yet again to perform an album that ultimately shaped the rest of her career, and inspired everyone from Best Coast to Waxahatchee to First Aid Kit. Unlike the rest of Lewis’ discography, Rabbit Fur Coat is the only album to date that was solely influenced by women. It’s release sparked a desire in Lewis to further explore lyrical narratives crafted outside of male-dominated spaces. While speaking with her over the phone on a chilly afternoon, it became clear that even after a decade, so much of her first solo album continues to ring true.

Noisey: It's been ten years since Rabbit Fur Coat's debut on Team Love Records. How has your connection to the album evolved? Jenny Lewis: The songs feel strangely relevant ten years later and I've been playing a handful of them during my solo sets. I played “Rise up With Fists” with Rilo Kiley on our last tour but the songs that I avoided in the last ten years, they feel like they really apply to my life right now. It's strange, when I write songs I don't always know exactly what I'm writing about and this particular period for me I had only written within my band and [Rabbit Fur Coat] was the first time that I was writing with a different intention. It wasn't being filtered through the other members of my band, it was very quiet, private songwriting process. I didn't share the songs with anyone really except for The Watson Twins before we recorded them, so they feel particularly personal and private.

In retrospect, which tracks resonate the most? We're performing the album in its entirety in order which I've never done before. They all serve a purpose within the whole, they all feel good and they fit together. They tell a story from beginning to end and there's an arc and the middle of that arc is the title track which I don't typically play. I mean, I played it a little bit in 2008 and I certainly played it in the first touring cycle for Rabbit Fur Coat, but that one I've avoided. Partially because it’s a four minute story song and I'm just up there alone, you know? I feel very exposed when it’s just me and the guitar and my song in front of an audience. It’s different if I'm in my living room playing songs for my friends who are also songwriters, but that song in particular is kind of a tough one to get through and not only because of the content, but just to be able to stand up there in front of so many people. It’s terrifying.

There's so much transparency and vulnerability in moments like that. It’s almost like those nightmare dreams you have when you're in front of a class and you're naked. It’s the part of my job when I'm up there when I'm like, “Goddamn why did I choose this job?”

In an interview from 2008 you referred to the title of the album as a metaphor for the “need to show your wealth” and “use a bunch of little dead things to make you more than what you are.” Looking back, has that metaphor changed for you in any way? I still identify with that metaphor but that song has taken on so much more for me. In my songwriting in my 20s I was pointing my finger a lot, I was looking outwards sort of examining my past, looking to my future, looking to the people around me, but what I've realized writing songs now is that I embody all of the characters that I'm criticizing. I've sort of become all of those people and I guess I was those characters all along I just didn't realize it.

The album is really rooted in the tradition of folk and gospel, two genres that have a legacy of bearing witness and responding to moments of personal and cultural significance. Songs like “The Big Guns,” “Rise Up with Fists,” and “Run Devil Run” come to mind. How did those genres and their traditions influence your identity as a songwriter? The record that influenced Rabbit Fur Coat the most is Laura Nyro's It's Gonna Take a Miracle and The Labelle Sisters are singing backup for her. That was something that I listened to growing up with my mother and my sister in the San Fernando Valley. I sing because I grew up singing with my mom and my sister. We were always listening to gospel songs because there were such distinctive harmony points. [Rabbit Fur Coat] for me, is a kind of spiritual record. It's not a religious record, but it's a spiritual record that in that moment in my life I was trying to figure out what I believed in. It turns out I believe in love and my friends and at that moment making music in Nebraska.

Omaha's music community, at that time and even now, was so influential. Saddle Creek and everything that they were doing was pivotal for so many bands. Conor [Oberst] was a great influence lyrically. He asked me to make the record and I never intended to be a solo artist, I never set out to do that. My identity was wrapped up in my band, that was my entire life, it was all I cared about and when he first approached me to make the record my first reaction was I can’t do that and he said, “No you can do it, you're going to do that and I'm going to put it out on my new record label, Team Love.” So he’s very much a part of the songs and the spirit of the record.

I've been really fortunate along the way to just have these guides and I've always been really afraid but when I get on stage I'm not afraid anymore, just getting there is terrifying. Conor, Ben Gibbard, Blake Sennett, and Ryan Adams... all of these guides, have just kind of pushed me out there, pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of doing. Each era is defined by a guide in a way.

In regards to things that define you, what have some of your current influences been? I've been staying in New York in my friend's apartment, just trying to write my new record and there's no internet, there’s no TV and there's the record player and a handful of records. They're her records but the one that I keep listening to the most is the second Steely Dan record, that one has been on repeat. It's so great to get back to the basics of music where I've got like five records that I listen to. I don't feel inundated with too many choices. That and this Ted Lucas record...it’s amazing [and] EZ TV. They're from Brooklyn and they made my favorite record from last year. I've been listening to a lot of jazz and reggae, roots reggae.

It's really cool that you mentioned reggae. In a way a lot of the narratives in reggae are similar to the stories that folk and gospel tell, especially with the call and response pattern present between each genre. The message is love really, you know? Almost all of Bob Marley's songs are about God and the reason why it connects with people is because there's this mess of love and I've been listening to this music and trying to grasp on to it a little bit and it’s really inspiring.

Rabbit Fur Coat explores similar themes head on. Do you still feel the same way about religion? It's funny because you know, I was 28, 29 years old when I wrote these songs so for me it feels very 20, but then some of the themes continue to resonate. It’s not a totally serious record and I think there's a lot of questions on the record, but I think the through line is spirituality and however you choose to define that or identify within that but I'm still on the quest to figure it out but I always come back to one word which is ‘love’ and that, you know, dictates how I proceed.

You were on tour last year for Voyager. How was preparing for this tour different for you? I tend to compartmentalize eras. I'm not really one for nostalgia, I don't really look back but I do think [that] it's really important. The Watson Twins—they're such an important part of this record and although they're my songs, [the twins] help bring them into the world. Without them, I don't know if I would have even made the record.

There was just this moment where I had these very private songs and they lived a couple blocks from me and I went over to their place and we started singing together and it was like I was back in the kitchen with my mom and my sister. It felt immediately like I was a part of a family. I'm so grateful to them and I just think our vocal blend is really very, very special. I feel very safe around them. They're very loving and it's just a very special connection that we have. Touring with Voyager was amazing and I love my band but when I sing with the twins, it's like something from outer space.

Their presence on the album gives each song such an intimate, almost sacred feel to them. … and there's no dude in control! [With] Rilo Kiley, it was very collaborative, but there was a very prominent male presence. With Rabbit Fur Coat, M. Ward produced a few songs, but his approach is very different, it’s a very, you do your thing and then he does all this amazing stuff around it. This is really the only record that I've made where there isn't a very strong male influence—you know all the Rilo Kiley stuff and Voyager with Ryan [Adams] and Beck. This is really a very feminine record. It's very stripped back. Whenever I'm in a producer position, I like to create space for the words and the vocals, and I'm not always right, sometimes it can get boring, but that's my sensibility and I think that this record reflects this.

Dudes are great, but there's something really powerful about songs crafted solely by women. It's a continuation of a tradition of women telling stories, of women as makers of meaning. When I play with women it's a completely different thing, We just arrange songs differently. We're not afraid to lay [it] out. I've played with some amazing women over the years and when we're in a room arranging, it's just a different intention. It's really special.

[It] brings to mind my label, called Lovesway, which is named after my parents band from the 1970s and Lovesway is re-releasing Rabbit Fur Coat as the first release, but then I hope to put out female artists exclusively on Lovesway: I want to put out a series of 7-inches of some of my favorite female artists. It’ll to be a really safe place for women.

That sounds like the perfect antidote for counterbalancing the misogyny and sexism that's often synonymous with the music industry. Some of my guy friends are going to be super bummed. [Laughs.] I'm not excluding them because I don't love their songs but I'm really interested in a female lyrical perspective. It's strange when you find yourself as the slightly older gen and there's women who've come up to me like Bethany Consentino and Katie [Crutchfield] from Waxahatchee, they've come up to me and said, “You were the first girl that I saw playing guitar on the stage, watching you when I was in high school inspired me to start a band.” You never think you're going to get to that point, you're like, wow, am I really that old, but it’s really cool to give back in a way.

#publication: vice #album: rabbit fur coat #year: 2016 #mention: songwriting #person: conor oberst #mention: lovesway #song: rabbit fur coat #mention: femininity #mention: nostalgia #person: the watson twins

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fibonnacifairytale · 6 years

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Name something that you saw within the past week that made you smile:: Little girl fell asleep on her mum whose childcare bailed on her so she brought her to class.

Name something within the past week that made you frown:: My boyfriend reading my unfinished script without my knowledge, although it turned out he only clicked it to figure out what it was as the title was interesting then he left it alone. Name somebody who you wish would cut you a break sometimes:: Myself, I’m too hard on myself haha Name somebody you know who deserves a better life than they have:: My friend Elin.

Name something you own that has high sentimental value::

A card my gran made me a while ago, she passed away last year.

Name something that you hope is different by this time next year:: My financial situation. Name something that you’re good at but don’t like: :

I genuinely can’t think of anything.

Name something that you’re bad at but DO like: : Acting/singing

Name something that you like about the person you argue most with:: I love everything about them. Name something that you strongly believe in: : Life’s too short to waste time on toxic people. Name something was funny to you but not to anybody else:: My best friend’s seal impression, also ‘what’s your favourite animal?’ Name somebody who has tried to help you and ended up hurting you:: I can’t think of anyone. Name something that you had to learn the hard way:: Pre-drinking in the afternoon won’t mean the party will last longer and you’ll feel good all through the night, you’ll just crash quicker and sober up and want to go home by 10:30 Name something that you think should be illegal:: Wearing socks and sandals that shit is criminal Name a date that has a lot of significance to you: : October 7th 2016 was my first kiss with my boyfriend and when we both admitted we liked each other. Do you like pudding?: yes

What was the last thing you complained about?: Either being poor or having to write my essay Do you tend to use a lot of big words?: I have an extensive vocabulary, but I only whip it out if the word is right for the situation so I guess? Do you fall for guys/girls easily?: Yep Do you have low or high self esteem?: Middling Are you a heavy sleeper?: Once I’m out I’m pretty much out for the count yeah, it’s just falling asleep is my issue Have you ever felt like you’ve hit below rock bottom?: Not yet When someone copies you, are you more flattered or annoyed?: Depends on what it is, I’m not really fussed what other people are doing. Are you trustworthy?: Yes What’s one of your favorite quotes?: ”Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” - Martin Luther King Favorite song lyrics?: ”And you were a dream, and I was a concrete wall” - Grandaddy and the entirety of Get Outta The Car by Aesop Rock Which is worse: Stale chips or flat soda?: Stale chips Have you ever been heartbroken?: Yes Have you ever carved a pumpkin?: Actually no I don’t think I have, maybe once when I was super young but I don’t really remember Are there any CD’s that you enjoy listening to all the way through?: The Impossible Kid by Aesop Rock, the entire discography of Sophie Ellis Bextor. Is there a lot of drama in your life right now?: Not really Do you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?: No Have you ever set off a fire alarm at school?: No Do you like raviolis?: Yeah, I haven’t had it in ages though What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn?: I don’t know Do you have a silly side?: Definitely Were you obsessed with those bead/jewlery making kits when you were younger: I don’t think I had any of those kits, I liked making bracelets though What’s one show that you wish was still on the air?: If you’d asked me this 5 years ago I’d have said Reaper mainly as that ending was very dissatisfying, I don’t know though What’s something you’re looking forward to?: Going to America to see my dad and meet more of my step family, as well as properly have my dad and boyfriend meet Are you optimistic or pessimistic?: I’m realistic Did you ever play with side-walk chalk?: Probably Are there any fast-food restaurants that you hate?: I don’t hate anywhere but I’m not particularly fussed by Burger King Are you a picky eater?: Not hugely I know what I like but I’m willing to try new things Do you like the band Rise Against?: I don’t know any of their songs

Who’s the hottest guy and hottest girl out there?: I have no idea, if we’re talking celebrities then Justin Baldoni and Stephanie Beatriz

Are you stubborn?: Oh yeah What’s your favorite song at the moment?: Right now it’s between Cold Hearted by Paula Abdul and Chicago by Sufjan Stevens Do you live your life to the fullest?: I try but not as much as I’d like Have you ever questioned your sexuality?: Yep, all my teen years. I’ve now settled on not bothering with labels, I’ll love who I love regardless What’s the worst thing you’ve ever been called?: Words themselves don’t hurt me it’s implications I don’t like. Have you ever burnt your ear with a straightener/curling iron?: Nope Are you any good at the game Rockband?: Only on DS What’s your favorite board game?: Betrayal at House on the Hill a.k.a. Spook House or Dead of Winter Do you believe that sometimes life is unfair?: Yes Do you have a hard time with making new friends?: Yes and no What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?:

No hole, filled with jam or custard and dusted with sugar

What’s the most important quality in the opposite or preferred sex?: Good sense of humour, honest, open communication and patience Have you ever used a port-a-potty?: Probably What’s your favorite ride at the fair?: The spinny ones, or the up and down ones When was the last time someone gave you a piggy-back ride?: A couple of days ago, I jumped on my boyfriend’s back Have you ever been onstage in front of a lot of people?: Several times What was the last stinky thing you smelled?: The trash outside Are you more of a girly girl or a tomboy?: Depends on the day What’s something you’re craving right now?: Ravioli as it was mentioned earlier and I’m easily influenced haha Have you ever been on a boat? Yes Have you ever been camping?: Nope What’s your favorite outdoor activity?: Walking a dog through the park on a bright warm day Do you ever shop at Hot Topic?: Nope Do you ever trip over your pets?: My only pet at the moment is a corn snake and my flatmate has a budgie so no Do you have any Christmas lights up on your house?: No we only moved here last month, also it’s bad luck to leave xmas decorations up for too long

Do you watch Spongebob Squarepants?: Not recently, watched it a lot when I was younger though Are you currently in a relationship?: Yes Is your foot asleep?: Not that I can tell What did you last look in the fridge for?: Milk or snacks

#survey

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