#this song has no right being so catchy i accidentally learned some of the lyrics to it hghhnbn

[donuts4evry1]

i'm somewhat obsessed with doing screenshots rn

#look at this it's so funny #nayutalien's style is very fun to recreate #my art #katsuo hiue #akuros irakusa #haruto mizuya #momoka amahiro #masahiko kouzaki #if I have time I might make a print of one for myself to put on my wall. they are just so fun <3 #ite! it's jellyfish love! #this song has no right being so catchy i accidentally learned some of the lyrics to it hghhnbn #*yeah sure I'll add the new names here #momoka kaburagi #sui mizutsuki #shima hiratoki

[brokenbuttonsmusic]

Eleni Mandell: L.A. Singer-Songwriter with Smoky Chrissie Hynde Vocals and a flair for Tom Waits’ Influenced Experimentation

This post is a near- transcript of the Broken Buttons: Buried Treasure Music podcast (episode 5, side A). Here you’ll find the narration from the segment featuring the L.A. singer-songwriter, Eleni Mandell, along with links, videos, photos and references for the episode.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple, Anchor or Mixcloud.

Have you ever bought the wrong record? Like, you intended to buy something that sounded like one thing and you accidentally grab something that sounds very different. 

I don’t know if this happens anymore, but I believe it was quite common years ago. Imagine hearing an artist on the radio and being blown away. You go to the record store, find the plastic divider with the name of whom you’re looking for, but you can’t remember the name of the album, or even the song. Remember, you don’t have a tiny computer in your pocket. You’re too nervous to ask the store clerk for fear of looking stupid. So you roll the dice. 

“I know it was someone called Neil Young, but there are a thousand Neil Young records here.”

“Hey, this pink one looks cool.”

That exact scenario didn’t happen to me, but that album, Neil Young’s Everybody’s Rockin’, happened to be the most played Neil Young album in my house growing up, so for years I thought Neil Young was a rockabilly revival act. In reality, that was one of several oddball records Young released during a tumultuous period with his record label to fulfill his contract demands. I still love that record. 

Eleni Mandell did live out the scenario of buying the wrong record though. She shared the story during a segment of the show Bullseye with Jessie Thorn, where she describes seeing Tom Waits on MTV late at night—back when MTV still cared about music. It was either 120 minutes or IRS’ The Cutting Edge. This would have been around 1984 or 1985, so right around the time of Wait’s masterpiece Rain Dogs. When she went to the record store though, she picked up the 1976 Tom Waits’ Asylum release, Small Change instead. Now Small Change is still a great Tom Waits album, but it sounds nothing like the drastically reimagined sound and musical approach he had begun to employ starting with 1983’s Swordfishtrombones. Something Tom Waits called his “junkyard orchestral deviation.” The spare, off-kilter percussion. Moaning trombones and muted trumpets. Marimba. Plenty of marimba. Experimental instruments mixed in everywhere. Megaphones and CB radios. Trash can lids. 

This is the sound Eleni was looking for. 

Instead she got lush strings. Delicate piano. Cinematic swells and a melancholy wail. 

She got this.

Still awesome, but not the same. She credits the experience with changing her life. She grew to love both sides of the Tom Waits coin. The jazzy piano man in the smoky, whiskey-drenched nightclub and the eclectic, experimental carnival barker that she had her first encounter with on late night MTV. 

You can hear that deep appreciation and influence for the full Tom Waits spectrum injected and swirling through Eleni Mandell’s own spectacular catalog that spans more than 20 years now. 

She’s got plenty of experimental Waits, especially in her early catalog. 

And quite a bit of the jazzy nightclub vibe.

There’s also plenty of folk-y Eleni mixed in, and even some country.

You’ll notice that Eleni’s voice doesn’t sound like Tom Waits though. Did you notice that? It’s less of a deep, gravelly howl and more of rich Chrissie Hynde croon. Spin compared her to Chrissie Hynde and PJ Harvey. Rolling Stone compared her captivating melodies and witty lyricism to early Elvis Costello. 

While she doesn’t have the Tom Waits’ wail, she does specialize in his particular brand of character song-study. Like this first song we’re going to hear. The first track off of Eleni Mandell’s second album Thrill. Released in the year 2000. This is Pauline. 

Pauline, from Eleni Mandell’s second record, Thrill. So how did this remarkably unique singer-songwriter get her start and pull together so many interesting influences to create the sound we just heard.

Eleni grew up in the Sherman Oaks region of the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles. She started playing music when she was just 5, beginning with the violin and then piano. Eleni didn’t love playing either, but continued to take lessons until she was thirteen. She remembers wanting to learn to write songs early on, but didn’t have the first idea of how to approach it, especially on violin. She jumped from violin and piano to guitar as a teenager. Her parents exposed her to a variety of musical styles. Her mom would take her to musicals and her dad, a serious record collector, played her Hoagy Carmichael and plenty of jazz standards. She loved the Beatles and remembers Diana Ross making an early impression. 

Another early life changing moment came when she discovered the Los Angeles punk band X.

X were huge in LA, and their first album (called Los Angeles) was the first record Eleni ever owned. Or maybe the first she asked to own. The first record she was ever given was Shaun Cassidy’s greatest hits for her 4th birthday. The first she ever purchased with her own money was X’s third release, Under the Big Black Sun. She tells a story of when she was out record shopping at a place called Aron’s Records, located on Melrose, and to her utter befuddlement came face to face with John Doe, lead singer of X. He was shopping for records too. She quickly snapped up a copy of the band’s third album and asked John to sign it. He did. She still has the signed album, which reads “Yours” complete with a big X “-John Doe.” That was the last autograph she ever asked for. It was not, however, the last time her path would cross with that of the band X. 

When she was a little bit older, she met Chuck E. Weiss, songwriter, rock n’ roller, beat poet and peculiar Tom Waits associate. Also the subject of the song, Chuck E.’s in Love.

Yes, that Chuck E. Weiss. Waits was in a relationship with Rickie Lee Jones. Waits, Jones and Weiss all lived at the seedy Tropicana Motel in Los Angeles. One day Weiss up and left out of nowhere. Some time later Chuck E. called the apartment where Jones and Waits were living. He explained to Waits that he had moved to Denver because he had fallen in love with a cousin there. Waits hung up the phone and announced to Jones, “Check E.’s in love. Rickie Lee Jones liked that so much that she it turned it into the song we just heard. 

Who is this episode about again? Oh, right. Eleni Mandell. Anyway, Eleni Mandell met THAT Chuck E. Weiss when she was not yet 21. Still, she had a friend who was able to get her into The Central, a Sunset Strip club that would later become The Viper Room. This would’ve been around 1990. Weiss was playing there every Monday. 

Here’s how the write up on Eleni’s original website describes her first encounter with Weiss.

“The first time she ever saw Chuck E. Weiss perform, he walked right up to her and smiled like a cross between The Cheshire Cat and an escaped mental patient. She met him a month later at Musso and Frank’s.”

Eleni says she was at the famous Hollywood restaurant and recognized Weiss. She worked up the courage to approach him and told him how much she loved his show. He asked if she wanted to accompany him to meet up with a friend at Canter’s Deli. She agreed. When they settled into one of the landmark eaterys iconic red, vinyl booths in walked her hero. Tom Waits. What a night. Tom asked Chuck how he and Eleni had met. 

“Hebrew school,” he declared. 

Here’s a tune from Eleni’s debut album, Wishbone, released in 1999. This is Sylvia. 

From Eleni Mandell’s first album, Wishbone, that was Sylvia. 

Under Chuck E. Weiss’ mentorship, produced by Jon Brion and self-financed by Mandell, Wishbone, as well as her next several records, received strong reviews and drew comparisons to Waits and PJ Harvey in style. 

Before Weiss mentored Mandell, he hired her as a door person at his club. She said he would test her to see how tough a door person she was by trying to grab money out of her hand. Weiss would continue to mentor Eleni over the years and they’re still friends to this day. 

For her fourth album, Mandell shook things up by diving into traditional country. A mix of covers and originals, 2003’s Country For True Lovers is an exciting update to her sound. And one of her life changing moments came full circle. Weiss introduced her to former X guitarist Tony Gilkyson, who produced the project. She also stacked the sessions with all star players, including Nels Cline from Wilco, and another X hero, drummer D.J. Bonebreak. 

Eleni continued to mix and mesh genres on her next release, 2004’s Afternoon. 

From the No Depression review of that album:

“Last years Country For True Lovers found Los Angeles chanteuse Eleni Mandell turning her sights on twang rather than her previous more PJ Harvey-oriented material, and she received plenty of critical acclaim in the process, sharing the LA Weekly 2003 songwriter of the year award with the late Elliot Smith.”

“On Afternoon, her fifth album, Mandell combines her love of various genres, including country, pop, jazz and rock, to stunning effect. Produced by Joshua Grange, who also lends his considerable talents on guitar, pedal steel, Hammond organ and piano, Afternoon mostly takes the slow and sexy approach. I’ve Been Fooled and Can’t You See Im Soulful give Mandell the chance to show off her breathy but passionate alto, which can devastate in a heartbeat.”

“Mandell does rock out from time to time, as on Easy On Your Way Out, which has a grungy Elvis Costello-gets-on-with-Liz Phair feel to it. I wanna be your afternoon/I want you coming back for more, Mandell sings on the sorta fun/sorta sad title song.”

She can also write catchy singles. Like this song from Afternoon, “Let’s Drive Away.”

That was Let’s Drive Away from Eleni Mandell’s fifth album, Afternoon, released in 2004. That song was also featured on the TV show, Weeds.

And here comes the challenging part of covering an artist like Eleni Mandell, who’s put out consistently solid albums for over two decades. There’s not enough time to feature all the good stuff she’s produced, but trust me, over her eleven albums, she always delivers. From the diverse shifting sounds of Artificial Fire [play clip] to the smooth and breezy Dark Lights Up [play clip], Eleni whirls a magical combination of jazz, folk, pop, country and rock, with just enough experimental twists to keep everything fresh. 

She’s also branched out from her solo artist gig to release two albums with her band The Grabs. The Grabs allows her to exercise more of her pop side and features Eleni on vocals, Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison, and Silversun Pickups’ drummer Elvira Gonzalez. 

And, she’s also released records with the Andrews Sisters inspired supergroup, The Living Sisters, with Inara George, Alex Lilly and Becky Stark.

I’d recommend checking out all of this. 

So now that we’ve established that the Eleni Mandell road is paved with the goods, let’s skip ahead to focus on her most recent album: 2019’s Wake Up Again.

Here’s what Eleni and her website have to say about the latest release: 

“For two years or thereabouts,” Mandell says, “I taught songwriting at two colleges and a women’s prison.”

The prison gig came about via Jail Guitar Doors, the organization founded by Wayne Kramer, guitarist of the vaunted Detroit band MC5, in partnership with English musician Billy Bragg. “I don’t know why exactly I was drawn to that work,” Mandell says. “But I had a family member who had been in prison in the 1940s. He wasn’t around when I was growing up, but that sort of fascinated me and I was always curious about what kind of person disappears and what kind of person commits crimes — what are they thinking?”

Working with the inmates also provided many epiphanies for her as a person, and proved fertile for her as an artist, as captured in the 11 songs on this album, her 11th studio release. In many ways it’s the culmination and fulfillment of all the strengths as a writer and performer going back to her start under the tutelage of Chuck E. Weiss, Tom Waits and other top chroniclers of people in the shadows.

“I really enjoyed it,” she says. “I was inspired by the stories, and surprised by the laughter I heard there. And I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was, by how many different kinds of people were there: teachers, lawyers, nurses, and also people who grew up in poverty.”

Here’s a song about one of the woman she met during those songwriting classes she taught. This is Evelyn.

Evelyn from Eleni Mandell’s most recent album, Wake Up Again. Another great addition to her expansive, impressive catalog. The album is filled with rich character studies and deeply personal self-examinations.

Her early Tom Waits inspiration continues to ignite and propel her, even after 11 albums. Only now she can call Tom a longtime friend. 

And she went from obsessive punk rock X fan to counting a member of X as a member of her own band. What a cool, thrilling ride she’s had so far. Eleni Mandell. 

References and other stuff:

Eleni interview with Luxury Wagers

Eleni interview with Mr. Bonzai

Eleni interview with Tyler Pollard on Timeline

The bio from Eleni’s current website has a great write up on her most recent album and I quote from it in the episode.

No Depression review of Afternoon that I quote in the episode

Here is the original bio from Eleni’s old website that is now archived. I also quote from this

Eleni has been featured on NPR segments over the years. I did not use anything directly from these, but they are good and informative

Pop Matter review of Dark Lights Up

Good L.A. Times article about Eleni teaching songwriting to female inmates and her latest album

#Broken Buttons #music podcast #music history #Eleni Mandell #indie #folk #country #punk #X #Tom Waits #Chuck E. Weiss #Chrissie Hynde #Pretenders #Living Sisters #The Grabs #P.J. Harvey #experimental #vinyl #podcast #podcaster #podcast community #now playing #now spinning #music blog

[themusicplayedherlife]

WIP: Our Song

a/n: this is the actual prologue to the story that is only three chapters in. ive been working on this since 2017 and even made this lovely header. i will eventually finish this story, but first i have to finish some sugar and/or unrequited, until then, this story is being written slowly

October 12th

Stark Records

Manhattan, NY

Steve Rogers is a competent man; a man of many talents, he likes to think. A man that has transcended every generation of music and made it his own.

...Okay, maybe that statement is an exaggeration. To his credit, he took many courses on music throughout college and has produced and written music of all genres; and has gained a newfound understanding through learning and experiences. So, he is a competent man with many accomplishments, but why does it feel like he never has any of that in his corner whenever he sits across from his old pal and business partner, Tony Stark?

“Steve,” he starts, removing his dark shades with a deep sigh. “I'm worried. Everything you've been producing has been good, it has been--”

“But it’s not good enough. I know.” He does know, he’s constantly being told by the rest of the board. Their words are as annoying as a poorly written chorus.

Tony rubs his eyes with his thumb and index, a clear sign that he’s exhausted. Working in the music industry can do that to a person, drain their energy until they’re practically dead. 

He remembers a time when it wasn’t like that. When they felt excitement every time they found the perfect chord, or the perfect lyric. When they’d be able to sit in front of their workstation and record and edit without a problem. But that was before the board got involved, before money began to be an issue.

He wonders if Tony remembers too.

“Look, the board isn’t happy.” Tony stops trying to wipe away his exhaustion—realizing it’s impossible—to look him in the eye. “I’m trying my best to keep them off your ass, but I don’t know how long I can keep doing that.” He leans forward, his elbows resting on his desk made out of glass. “If you can bring me one song, just one simple minded song that they will like, you can continue doing your emo ballads that you like so much.”

He knows Tony isn’t trying to be condescending, but his jaw still ticks. “And what if I fail?”

Tony makes a face, the kind of face that looks like he just bit into a piece of fruit and was completely disappointed to find it isn’t as sweet as he hoped. “You’re talented, Steve. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t have brought you on board all those years ago. I have faith that you can do it.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t.”

“Maybe.” Tony leans back, making the chair squeak loudly. “But I do. Why don’t you take the next couple of weeks off to work on new material, huh? Spend some time with your kid while you’re at it. I know you’ll find a spark of inspiration somewhere.”

October 13th

Hydra Records

Manhattan, NY

You sit. Tense. Unsure. 

Brock taps his fingers against his desk, listening to the music playing from his speakers—your song. It’s catchy, the beat steady and rhythmic; the melody and harmony twirling and complementing each other well, and one of your best songs yet. You spent countless nights working on it; even risked getting noise complaints from your neighbors (and a scolding from Daisy) and landlord to make it the best it could be. The people you showed it to said it was amazing, the next summer hit, but Brock’s expression isn’t exactly agreeing with their lingering compliments.

“We got drunken hearts and we're dancing more than enough—“

The song ends prematurely with a click from Brock. You don’t have to wait for him to open his mouth to know what he’s about to say—he hates it. “I’ve heard better from you when we were in college, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. There it is. That stupid condescending term of endearment he used on everyone he thought wasn’t worth his time. Including you. 

Why did you date him again?

Your eyebrow raises involuntarily. “If you listened to the—“

“No need. If the chorus didn’t catch my attention, then there’s no point.” He disconnects your phone from his computer and hands it back to you with a barely concealed grin. “Don’t you think you’re way out of your element here, sweetheart?”

You clench your fists. You really shouldn’t be surprised at how demeaning and rude he’s being. Brock has always been this way, even back in college. Most people let it slide because of his charming smile and very manipulative reassurance, yourself (unfortunately) included. It took many nights of crying and many therapy sessions to realize the kind of toxic person he was—is. “Excuse me?”

“I heard your jingle for Shadow insurance,” he coos, as if praising a child. “You should really stick to the jingle business, sweetheart, you’re good at! Besides, full fledged songs don’t seem to be your forte. Leave the real music production to the real men.”

The urge to slam your closed fist into his face grows with every word that he vomits. “You know what?” You pick up your bag and stuff your phone into it as you rise from your seat with every intent to storm out of his office. “This was a mistake.”

“Oh, come on! Don’t get all defensive! Are you on your menstrual—“

Before he can finish his abhorrish question you accidentally swing your bag with enough force and span to knock down his coffee all over his keyboard. “Oh my—oops. My bad.”

Brock lets out a frustrated shout, calling in his overworked assistant to clean up his desk. They run into the room alarmed, wide eyes roaming around the room before settling on you and then his boss.

“What are you doing just standing there, you moron? Clean this up!”

They let out a strangled sound, jumping on their feet. “Yessir!” 

In the chaos of Brock calling his assistant an idiot as they wipe his desk with some kind of cloth—“That’s my cashmere sweater, you idiot! Can’t you do anything right?”—you walk out of his office with your head held high and fists shaking with barely concealed anger.

#steve rogers x reader #wip #wip wednesday

[taste-in-music]

My Favorite Songs of 2018 by Genre

There was a LOT of music this year that I still wanted to talk about but didn’t get put on the other posts I made, so I decided to put yet ANOTHER list together. (Read my top albums and EPs of the year lists if you want some context.) Buckle up, because it’s going to be a long one, folks. Here are the rules for eligibility:

The songs on this list most likely a) weren’t on an album that I loved in its entirety/didn’t feel that strongly about, b) were on an album that I didn’t have time to listen to, or c) were released as singles. 

No songs from the albums or EPs I’ve previously mentioned are eligible. 

I’ll try my best not to include singles that are for albums coming out next year (for example, I’m not putting Light On by Maggie Rogers or Party For One by Carly Rae Jepsen on the list.) Those songs will be eligible if I do a list next year. If I accidentally do put an album single on the list, it’s because I didn’t know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Now, presented in no particular order, let’s get to some tunes.

POP

Used to You by Dagny: If you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I’m obsessed with Norwegian pop star Dagny, who I learned about through a recommendation from a friend. This song is one of her best: uptempo but melancholy, with honest, vulnerable lyrics about a strained relationship. 

Crush by Tessa Violet: On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, we’ve got a bubbly sugar-pop song about having a crush on someone. It’s quite simple as to why I love this song: it’s just so joyfully adorable.

Sweet but Psycho by Ava Max: Okay, why is this not a hit the U.S.? It’s already gotten to number one in Norway, Finland, and Sweden, and is making a splash in the U.K. While I’m iffy on the lyrics, this song has one of the catchiest hooks of the year. It’s a giant guilty pleasure of mine. 

Sucker Punch by Sigrid: This was named the eighth best song of the year by Time magazine and it’s easy to see why. It has all the elements that make up a Sigrid song (catchy melody, her signature raspy vocals,) but has just enough quirky touches and eccentric details to it that set it apart from the rest of her discography. 

Do Right by Glades: Glades are so underrated, and I’ve mentioned them in a bunch of posts before. This song is them at their best, with one of the stickiest choruses of the year and a sweet synth riff. 

Batshit by Sofi Tukker: I first heard this song in an iPhone commercial, oddly enough. I’m not going to say that this song is good, because I’m fairly sure that it isn’t good. The chorus is literally the word “batshit” said over and over and over again. But somehow, it’s perfect? It’s simple while at the same time having so many cool elements that it’s never boring. The funky bass riff, lowered vocals, electronic drop are all so infectious. Sofi Tukker are my guilty pleasure band, so check them out if you’re into strange dance club music. 

Chasers by Bahari: This pulsating, electronic groove from California based trio (now duo :/) Bahari is like a dangerous lullaby. The twinkling production and harmonies keep the tone tense but enjoyable. I hope they release more music soon. 

Cause You Did by Willa: Willa exploded onto my radar with her powerful, ass kicking anthem Swan, which she released back in 2016. I was so excited to see that she had released new music. This song is a bit different from her previous work, swerving more into the pop lane, but is still charming as hell. (Fun fact, she was in an episode of Supernatural. 10.13 Halt and Catch Fire. The more you know, am I right?)

San Francisco by Fickle Friends: This is my favorite song off of the Broken Sleep EP (I think it’s an EP? It’s only three songs... Check it out regardless.) Fickle Friends’s sound is so summery and tropical, it never fails to put me in a good mood, and this song is a perfect example of that. 

F**k U by Kailee Morgue: A whole tell off anthem. Like her other material, this song balances darker material with a sweet and innocent sounding vocal delivery. Just make sure you listen to the uncensored version. Listening to the clean version is like listening to the radio edit of IDGAF by Dua Lipa or “Forget” You by CeeLo Green. It has no bite to it without the title word being said.

Emotion by Astrid S: When I first heard Such a Boy, I knew that Astrid S had the potential to be a pop starlet in the vein of Zara Larsson. This song is a lot of fun, with a whistling hook and Astrid S’s usual sassy delivery.  

Cherry by Rina Sawayama: This is a whole BOP, from the whispery intro to the rushing production to the melodic, get-stuck-in-your-head chorus. This song is much like its title suggests: bright and sweet with just enough of a twang to keep it interesting, just like a cherry. 

Baby Don’t Talk by LÉON: Of the two singles she released this year, I can’t help but like this one a little bit more (but don’t get me wrong, Falling is a whole bop and a half.) This song is just so likable, from the snappy percussion to the “ooOOooOOhs,” to the unforgettable melody. LÉON is so underrated, I can’t encourage you enough to listen through her three EPs and other singles. They’re all gold. 

Daughter by L Devine: I can’t tell you how shook I was when I first heard this song. It’s L Devine at her finest, with a catchy melody, relatable lyrics, and just the right amount of electronic elements. This song is the wlw bop that no one’s talking about that everyone should be talking about. 

Carousel by Skylar Spence: I found this gem thanks to Spotify’s Indie Pop playlist. The pulse to this song always makes me want to tap my toes. It’s like if the color yellow was a song. The lyrics are super cute, and the glitchy, robotic chorus just works somehow.  

R.E.M. by Ariana Grande: While I found Sweetener as an album a bit uneven in quality, it’s still by Ariana fucking Grande. She could sing What’s The Fox Say and it would sound beautiful. This track is my personal favorite, with the cute little “bum bum bums” and the all around dreamy atmosphere. There’s also a funny amount of self awareness in this song, with the whole “’Excuse me, um, I love you,’” and “does this end?” It adds a layer of charm and personality that elevate this song. Ariana Grande is definitely the pop idol we need in the hot 100 right now, dear Lorde.

Sue Me by Sabrina Carpenter: What a fricking BANGER! This song rocked me to my core. Sabrina Carpenter is one of the best singers to come out of the Disney machine, and she’s always had potential for greatness (remember Thumbs? That song slaps.) There’s something visceral and inexplicably powerful about this song, I feel it right in my gut. It’s my favorite off of Singular Act 1, @eleanorschidis thank you for convincing me to listen through the album.

Love The Lie by Call Me Loop: I don’t feel like I can communicate why I’m so obsessed with this song, but I’ll try. It’s catchy as fuck, the twinkling guitar riff, the beat and melody... it’s all just so perfect. You know what? I can’t do it justice. Just listen to it. 

Drink About by Seeb ft. Dagny: This might be my favorite pop song of the year, and I both do and don’t know why. On one hand, the lyrics are repetitive, it’s simplistic, and it’s just another club dance song. But on the other hand, there’s something about it that elevates it beyond that. First off, there’s Dagny, who I’ve said before I LOVE, and her performance brings so much emotion and pain and personality to the song. Then there’s Seeb’s production, managing to make an unforgettable drop and chorus out of only a handful of lines. There was a period of time where I would just listen to this song on repeat, and it never got old or tired despite its repetition. It’s like a rush of euphoria whenever I hear it, and I can’t recommend it enough. 

R&B/HIP HOP

Honey Dew by LION BABE: Like Say Lou Lou, I first learned about LION BABE by reading about them in Teen Vogue. I put off checking them out for a while, and when I finally did, I wasn’t disappointed. This songs is one of the chillest I’ve heard this year. Jillian Hervey’s smooth voice and the twinkling pianos and shuffling percussion of Lucas Goodman’s production just meld so perfectly together. 

After the Storm by Kali Uchis ft. Tyler, The Creator and Bootsy Collins: There’s something about Kali Uchis’s voice that is so unique and so sultry, I can’t help but get sucked into her music. This song mixes together her lovely crooning, a rap verse from Tyler, The Creator, bubbly production, and uplifting lyrics, and I can’t help but feel happy whenever I hear it. This song feels like emerging from a cold lake, it’s that refreshing. (Also, count In My Dreams as an honorable mention, that song is great too.)

The Kids Are Alright by Chloe x Halle: The song is awe-inspiring, from the powerful harmonies of the opening to the rhythmic switch-ups present all throughout the song. I love the “we are we are we are” mantra that repeats all throughout the song. It almost sounds like a poem put to music. 

Blue Lights by Jorja Smith: Mixing a spoken word style hip hop and reggae elements into her usual graceful sound, Jorja Smith manages to craft a pretty sounding R&B song with a meaningful message behind it. Her debut album Lost & Found isn’t what I usually listen to, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. Also, can Jorja Smith drop her skincare routine? How does she get it so dewy and smooth? She’s so hecking pretty, I can’t even. 

Honey by Raveena: YouTube played this song as a commercial before a video I was watching, and I fell in love with it. Raveena’s voice is so delicate, fragile even, and just lovely paired with the simple but glistening production. 

Summer Pack by Childish Gambino: Okay, I’m putting both songs on here. My only explanation for this EP is that Donald Glover took the entire season of Summer and managed to distill it into two R&B songs. Summertime Magic has a watery, tropical mood that’s always refreshing to hear (am I the only one that is reminded of Wii Sports Resort?) and Feels Like Summer makes me feel like I’m sitting on my front steps in the middle of August with a melting orange popsicle. 

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/ROCK

Baby by Bishop Briggs: While more pop leaning than her usual content, the blatant sexuality, personal lyrics, and Bishop Briggs’s usual powerful vocals sell this song. Also, the music video is AMAZING. I’ve put it on my animated music videos that give me life series, but I can’t reiterate enough how great the animation is. Holy hell. 

Gold Rush by Death Cab for Cutie: This song is downright ethereal. It sounds like it’s lulling you to sleep, but in the best kind of way. It isn’t boring, it’s soothing. Hearing this song on the radio is what got me into this band, and while I haven’t heard their entire discography, I know that this song will remain one of my favorites.

Hand It Over by MGMT: Just like Gold Rush, this song is so soothing it’s practically therapeutic. Every time I hear it, I just melt right into my chair. I’d say I’m a casual fan of MGMT, (I haven’t heard their less mainstream albums,) but I really like Oracular Spectacular and Little Dark Age. This is one of my favorite cuts off the latter album.

Idaho by Gorillaz: While The Now Now didn’t leave a big impression on me, this song makes me glad that I decided to listen to it. The production has this swell to it at the chorus, which is just so calming. I really like how the song is dappled with nature sounds, too. It makes me feel like I’m in a cabin next to a lake in the middle of the woods and it’s raining outside but I’m cuddled up in a cozy blanket with a cup of peppermint tea.

Baby You’re A Haunted House by Gerard Way: I’ve never listened to My Chemical Romance, so I didn’t know what to expect from this song, but holy crap. It’s a total banger. The guitars on this track are so fuzzy and aggressive in all the right ways. This was what I had on repeat all throughout Halloween. 

Blood and Bones by TRACE: The only word I can use to describe the song is entrancing. TRACE’s smooth vocals and the laid back production always make me feel so relaxed, and the funkier electronic touches and glittery piano riffs add just enough to keep it all interesting. 

Nobody by Mitski: I told y’all I be mentioning Mitski on one of these lists! While the entirety of Be The Cowboy was lovely, Nobody stands out as one of the catchiest, strangest, and most depressing songs of the year. How can a song about crushing, isolating loneliness that literally has a lyric about the hypothetical aliens living on Venus bop to the gods? I have no clue, but Mistki pulled it off. 

Fruity by Rubblebucket: Speaking of weird lyrics, this one takes the cake: “I said I’d make it to the party / But I’ve got a lot going on / The lioness gave a feast for forty off her body / Then slept on the ground till a flower grew out.” I have no clue what the hell that's supposed to mean, but it works. The little “lalala”s and the whispered vocals make for an interesting listen. Thanks, Spotify’s Discover Weekly!

Pristine by Snail Mail: The brain child of nineteen year old Lindsey Jordan, Snail Mail is one of the most intriguing indie rock acts I’ve heard this year. Her debut album, Lush, is full of awesome songs, but Pristine has got to be my favorite. The lyrics about the monotony of party culture, accompanied by an upbeat guitar riff and communicated through her raw vocals, all come together to form a song that you can both headbang and relax to. 

She’s Kerosene by The Interrupters: I don’t listen to ska punk, but this song is a just a ton of fun. There’s a sweet saxophone solo, and holy crap does Aimee Allen have a ton of personality on the vocals. Even my dad liked this song.

Body Talks by The Struts ft. Kesha: AND I MEAN THE KESHA VERSION. The original is fine, but when you’ve got a version of a song with Kesha on it, do you really need to hear the other one? This song has such an explosive and rocking chorus and Luke Spiller of The Struts and Kesha have great chemistry. I hope Kesha ventures more into the rock genre in the future, because she, well, rocks at it.

Midnight by Black Honey: A grimy banger complete with bold vocals, a chorus that will get. stuck. in your. head, assertive guitars, and a kick ass synthesizer solo? Yes, please. I loved Midnight from the first time I heard it. I might have mentioned before that I heard of this song through YouTube recommendations, and I’m so happy to have come across this song and this band. 

Lavender Bones by Stand Atlantic: As I mentioned in my artist recommendation post, this song is the update to Misery Business by Paramore that I never knew I needed. It’s noisy, it’s angry, it’s so goddamn catchy. I’m not always into the whole punk sound, but this song surpasses its genre. It’s just so good. 

Shame by Elle King: Since hearing Ex’s and Oh’s back in 2015, I’ve been obsessed with Elle King’s debut, Love Stuff. It’s one of those albums that I can put on and listen to all the way through. Her follow up, Shake The Spirit, was also pretty good, showcasing her gritty, powerful voice intertwined with rock, blues, and country elements. This song is the standout, explosive, boot stomping, and a whole lot of fun. 

Uh Huh by Jade Bird: This song is the epitome of a headbanger. It was a tossup between this song and her other singles, Love Has All Been Done Before and Lottery, for this list, but this one just had to be on it. This is one of my most listened to rock songs of the year. The energetic guitar gives the song an electric pulse, and Jade Bird’s vocals... holy shit does she have pipes. Her voice reminds me of Alanis Morissette. This song sprints at full speed, as over as quickly as it started, and a hell of a rush too. 

Fireworks by First Aid Kit: I’m not a big fan of country/folk music, but this Swedish sister duo have surpassed my usual genre bias time and time again. This song is my favorite off of their album Ruins, (they dropped the EP Tender Offerings this year, too. It’s a lovely little slice of folk that I’d definitely recommend y’all check out.) This is a grand, soaring ballad, showcasing the sisters’ harmonization and a showstopping string instrument. Just gorgeous. 

Reasons Not To Die (Demo) by Ryn Weaver: Ryn Weaver was one of the first artists I listened to when I was first defining my taste in music. Her album The Fool is what got me into the indie pop and alternative genres. While hopeful that she’d drop more music, I was also pretty sure that it wasn’t going to happen for a long, long while because she doesn’t currently have a label. Then this song came along. Everything about it is beautiful: Ryn’s vibrato-rich voice, the melody, the lyrics, guys. This song’s lyrics are so personal and authentic. As the song continues, it builds up to this crescendo, and Ryn’s voice gets more powerful and yet more vulnerable at the same time, the music swells... and then it drops back down again. This song makes me teary whenever I hear it, and that doesn’t happen that often. Please, Ryn. Drop more music. Lorde knows we need voices like yours in the current music scene. 

Listen to the complete mix of all these songs HERE. What were your favorite songs of 2018? Any artists, albums, singles, etc. I should know about? Leave your thoughts and recommendations down below.

#favorites #songs #music #i'm not tagging every artist good lorde #taste in music #taste in music 2018 faves

[blogsmith57]

Movies Ansd Tv With Pina Colada Song

Movies And Tv With Pina Colada Song Rupert Holmes

Pina Colada Song Wikipedia

Escape The Pina Colada Song Video

Two Pina Coladas Song

Pina Colada Song Video

Janet learns the lyrics to the Pina Colada song. Janet learns the lyrics to the Pina Colada song. On the movie the sweetest thing who sings the pina colada song its a womens group?

In The Number Ones, I’m reviewing every single #1 single in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, starting with the chart’s beginning, in 1958, and working my way up into the present.

***

At least in retrospect, the ’70s must have been the wildest, most motley, most all-over-the-place decade in the history of popular music. Some genuine musical revolutions either started in the ’70s or matured during the decade: Hip-hop, punk, disco, funk, prog. But if you look at the ’70s through the lens of the pop charts, as this column does, you see excitement and tedium locked in a constant struggle for dominance throughout the decade, with novelty sneaking around the outside and getting some jabs in.

So really, the ’70s ended the only way they possibly could’ve done: With a badly-sung, infernally catchy soft-rock ditty, an infidelity-themed story-song that ends in an O. Henry twist. Rupert Holmes’ “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” has popped up on movie and TV-show soundtracks countless times in the past four decades; it has earned its place within our shared consciousness. And yet I can’t imagine ever being in a situation where I would actively seek the song out, where I would want to hear it. But then, I was three months old when the thing hit #1. Maybe I’m not supposed to know what motherfuckers were thinking.

Rupert Holmes, the man who wrote and produced “Escape” and who thus owns the chart transition from ’70s to ’80s, had been part of the pop-music dream factory for a decade when he got to #1. Holmes was born in the UK, the son of an American Army officer and an English woman. He spent the early years of his childhood in the English village of Northwich and the later years in the New York suburb of Nanuet. Holmes’ parents were both musicians, and Holmes went to the Manhattan School Of Music on a clarinet scholarship. Pretty soon after he finished school, he went to work as a pop-music professional.

Holmes was working as an arranger in the late ’60s when he joined the Cuff Links, an anonymous bubblegum group that also featured Ron Dante, the lead singer of the Archies’ “Sugar, Sugar.” When the Cuff Links broke up, Holmes recorded a song called “Jennifer Tomkins.” The single, released under the name Street People, peaked at #36. In 1971, Holmes wrote a cannibalism-themed joint called “Timothy” for the Pennsylvania band the Buoys, and that one peaked at #17. Holmes also wrote ad jingles and scored a little-seen 1970 Western called Five Savage Men. He was in the game.

Holmes released Widescreen, his solo debut, in 1974. Before 1979’s Partners In Crime, the breakout album that gave us “Escape,” Holmes knocked out four solo LPs. None of them sold, but those records helped Holmes build a name for himself as a writer of funny, irony-infused story-songs. Barbra Streisand was a fan, and Holmes wrote songs for her and for the absurdly popular soundtrack for the 1976 film A Star Is Born. Holmes didn’t score a charting single of his own until 1978’s “Let’s Get Crazy Tonight,” which peaked at #72. Private Stock, the label that released “Let’s Get Crazy Tonight,” went out of business when the song was still on the charts.

Holmes got the idea for “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” one night when he was flipping through The Village Voice, the newspaper that once employed me. (“Escape” is the second #1 hit built around classified ads; it arrived eight years after the Honey Cone’s “Want Ads.”) Inspired, Holmes hatched the narrative of a bored couple who, while attempting to cheat on each other, accidentally go out on a blind date with each other. As originally written, the chorus started with the line “if you like Humphrey Bogart.” While he was getting ready to record it, though, Holmes decided that his own songs had too many references to older movies, and to Bogart in particular. He changed “Humphrey Bogart” to “piña coladas” at the last possible minute simply because he didn’t want to let down any of the real Rupert Holmes heads out there.

If you stop to think about “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” for even a second, it’s a pretty nasty little song. The very first line is this: “I was tired of my lady/ We’d been together too long.” The song’s narrator is unhappy with relationship, but he doesn’t do anything to end it. Instead, he sneaks around behind his girlfriend’s back, falling for a sentence in a classified ad. The person described in that ad seems hopelessly basic. Likes: Fruity mixed drinks, rain, champagne, beach fucking. Dislikes: Yoga, health food. But apparently the guy is basic, too, since a few lines of small-print newsprint text are all he needs to ditch his relationship. He takes out his own ad, responding to the first, and he includes grandiose verbiage about planning an “escape.”

He does not successfully execute that escape. It turns out that the girl who took out that classified ad is his own girlfriend, who is just as bored with the relationship as he is. They meet up at an Irish pub and instantly figure out exactly what just happened. The song presents this ending as a happy surprise. In interviews years later, Holmes says that the guy was supposed to be an asshole, and a passive one. The girl, who is also attempting to cheat, was at least the one with the wherewithal to instigate the whole episode. Holmes was hoping that they’d both realize how much they had in common, that they’d recommit themselves to each other. This seems unlikely.

Movies And Tv With Pina Colada Song Rupert Holmes

I have questions. For instance: Where does this couple go from here? They both know that they can’t trust each other. They also know that they don’t really know each other. They’ve got all these completely elementary preferences that they haven’t communicated. After that initial rush of recognition, how does the rest of this relationship look? How long do they stay together? How are they not incredibly pissed off at one another from the moment they spy each other across the bar? How are they not, at the same time, both consumed with guilt upon getting caught? I don’t like this couple’s chances.

I don’t know if this is a good story, but it’s good storytelling. I don’t much like the characters or where they end up, but Holmes sketches out the whole narrative in a few quick words, never losing sight of his own melody. This doesn’t change the reality that the actual music behind this story is exactly the kind of wack-ass soft-rock pablum that I cannot stand. It’s got an awkward, clumpy beat that Holmes recorded with two drummers. (Holmes co-produced it, and he says that the studio band played sloppily that day, so he used the 16 bars he liked the best and looped them.) There’s watery piano. There’s a processed-to-death guitar lead. There’s a groove that can’t stop tripping over itself. And then there are those vocals.

Holmes isn’t a bad vocalist, exactly. He a classic ’70s singer-songwriter guy, a conversational speak-singer. But man, I do not like what happens when he cranks that voice up and hits the hook on “Escape.” The hook is, to be fair, instantly memorable. But this is not always a good thing. Holmes hits that upper register, and I just wish I was someplace else. I don’t even know how people functioned when this thing was all over the radio.

Holmes managed one more big hit after “Escape (The Piña Colada Song).” “Him,” the single’s follow-up, was another story-song. This time, Holmes sang from the perspective of a guy who figures out that his girlfriend is cheating. “Him” peaked at #6. (It’s a 4.) Holmes kept putting out albums into the ’90s, but none of them hit. He also went back to writing songs for other people. “You Got It All,” a ballad that Holmes wrote for the teenage Tongan-American Minneapolis-based Mormon family band the Jets, peaked at #3 in 1986. (It’s a 6.) Britney Spears, an artist who will eventually appear in this column, covered it on her debut album. Get ready to be incredibly depressed: Holmes wrote the song for his 10-year-old daughter. Before the song took off, she died of an undetected brain tumor.

I don’t know how you bounce back from something like that, but Holmes did. After “Escape (The Piña Colada Song),” Holmes has had more success as a storyteller than as a musician. In 1985, Holmes wrote The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, a Broadway musical based on an unfinished Charles Dickens novel. It won five Tonys, including two for Holmes. Since then, Holmes has written more than a dozen plays, many of them hits. He also created Remember WENN, a drama that ran for three season on AMC in the late ’90s, and he wrote all 56 of its episodes. He’s published a few books, too. The man can write, and the best thing about “Escape” is that you can tell that right away.

But Holmes is a whole lot more famous for “Escape” than for anything else he’s ever done in his life. He’s pretty funny when he talks about it, too. In a 2003 Songfacts interview, Holmes said this:

I have a feeling that if I saved an entire orphanage from a fire and carried the last child out on my shoulders, as I stood there charred and smoking, they’d say, “Aren’t you the guy who wrote ‘The Piña Colada Song?'”

Perhaps Rupert Holmes would like to escape “The Piña Colada Song.” So would I.

Pina Colada Song Wikipedia

BONUS BEATS: Here’s the scene from a 1999 episode of The Simpsons — the same storied episode that predicted the Trump presidency — where the not-aging-well future version of Bart sings a parody of “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” during his sister’s presidential addresss:

BONUS BONUS BEATS: Here’s the weirdly extremely memorable “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” needle-drop from the 2001 film Shrek:

BONUS BONUS BONUS BEATS: Here’s Kanye West, noted fan of the aforementioned Shrek scene, quoting “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” on “White Dress,” a song that he contributed to the soundtrack of the 2012 RZA-directed kung fu movie The Man With The Iron Fists:

(Kanye West will eventually appear in this column.)

BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS BEATS: Here’s the scene from 2014’s Guardians Of The Galaxy — which, like The Man With The Iron Fists, stars Dave Bautista — where Chris Pratt steals his Walkman back from the space-prison guard who is enjoying “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”:

BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS BEATS: Here’s the great scene from a 2016 Better Call Saul episode where Bob Odenkirk sings a few bars of “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” and spouts some fake biographical facts about Rupert Holmes:

more from The Number Ones

Raised in Hawaii Jack Johnson was the son of a famed surfer and even tried to have a go of his own on the waves. Unfortunately an accident that involved teeth being knocked out and stitches being required kind of halted that dream as he was sidelined from surfing for a while. It wasn’t too long after that however that his musical talents started to become his thing and picked up a guitar and started strumming out a few songs that he’d thought up. He did this throughout college, joining a band and jamming as they performed here and there during their time together. Johnson’s big break came in 2000 however when he not only produced the soundtracks for a couple of films but he tried his hand at making them as well. You could easily say this man is quite talented but it might still be an understatement.

Here are a few of his songs as used in TV and movies.

5. Glee – Bubbletoes

Glee is one of those shows you either liked or didn’t think about. It wasn’t even a matter of not liking if it you didn’t watch it, as the energy and verve of the show was enough to make it interesting. But if you weren’t into the whole song and dance routine then chances are you wouldn’t dislike it but just wouldn’t watch it since the whole idea of not liking the show seemed kind of petty since it was so upbeat a lot of the time, or at least seemed like it. In many way Glee kind of took a lot of people back to their experiences in high school since there are quite a few people that can remember being in similar clubs.

Escape The Pina Colada Song Video

4. Sense8 – The Sharing Song

This show is something else and it was one of Netflix’s top prospects when it first came out. The ability to connect with people miles away due to a special quality that links them all, and the knowledge and skills that can be shared via that link is pretty cool, but it could cause some serious problems as well. You can’t help but think that some of the people that are connected would embrace this after a period of confusion, but others would seek to block it out since this is the kind of thing that humans would rarely ever be able to get used to since it’s not considered natural or normal.

3. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Escape (The Pina Colada Song)

Two Pina Coladas Song

Walter Mitty is a man that no one seems to take seriously since he’s kind of a nobody when the film starts, though he’s far more important than many people would care to realize. Working at Time magazine where he’s been for so long he’s been taken for granted and treated like a shadow on the wall since he’s a very quiet and unassuming person. But when an important negative for the last issue of Time goes missing he has to go and track it down by tracking down the photographer. In the end however he finds that it was with him the whole time, he just didn’t know where to look. The adventure he takes though is what was truly important as it finally got him to open up to the world.

2. Curious George – Upside Down

Several generations have grown up with Curious George since in truth he’s been around for a very long time. As a children’s story he’s one of the most classic tales out there and is the kind of story that you’d want your kid to watch since it’s a very touching and educational show that offers a lot of fun and engaging activity that kids will want to emulate. Sure George gets himself into trouble now and again, but that’s the beauty of the design. Kids can learn how they can get themselves out of trouble as well since George is all about having fun but he’s also about problem-solving. This is just a great show for kids and a bit of nostalgia for adults.

1. Jack Johnson – Middle Man

For all his talent and all his skill at music Jack Johnson is still a very diverse man since he’s not only a musician, but a father, a husband, and an environmentalist that spends a lot of his time balancing his life out between the different roles he’s given himself to play. So far in life it seems like he’s done just fine and has kept everything as it should be. He’s a very open person about his life in music, but keeps a lid on the private lives of his kids and family, which seems like one of the best ideas since quite honestly it’s no one else’s business. He’s definitely a family man and someone that cares a lot about what he does.

Pina Colada Song Video

Usually that’s the kind of person that knows just what they want and how to make it happen.

[tarpsybaby]

The Best Albums of 2020

What can I say about 2020 that hasn't already been said a hundred times before?  Yes, I have learned many things throughout the last 365 days, but one thing that I have always known, but have now emphatically proven this year is that - "Music (really) IS Life".  

When the world outside is as dark as it has ever been, I know that I can always put on my headphones to escape from the sheer madness of it all for a little while, and feel completely comfortable and peaceful within the walls of my own mind.  

Though your experience has been undeniably different, these are my life defining albums from the year that was 2020.  I hope that you are inclined enough to share YOUR favorites and your reasons for being so. 

Happy New Year, my MUSIC friends.  

31 - Lil Wayne  - Funeral

This was the first album that I had added to the "Best of" list back in very early January. Back before the everlovin' shit hit the fan in the world!   I loved the first half of the album so much that it was constantly on repeat, though it certainly isn't Wayne's best album.   The insanely fun and erratic tracks "Mahogany" and "Mama Mia" may very well be some of my all time favorite beats of the last decade.  Especially in a time where the greater majority of modern rap production sounds exactly the same, with little focus on the beats.  As the year continued on and I listened to hundreds of albums, Funeral didn't hold up quite as much as I would have thought.   With 24 tracks and a runtime of an hour and sixteen minutes, the album is one that goes on well after the juice has run out.  The first half is compiled so well though, that I still consider it one of the best, and I’d already written the review before I counted my “Best Of”. Hence the extra album review this year!  ;) 

30 - Lapsley - Through Water

This album was recommended to me from my boss when we were all first working from home in the height of the pandemic.  Immediately I knew it would have a home on one of my most favorite playlists that I have been building for the last decade.  The playlist is called my "H20 Mixologist" mix and if you've ever been with me at the beach, you already know that the only rules for this playlist are that it must be played by water.  Preferably a beautiful ocean, though a bathtub and a healthy dose of imagination will work just fine!  This album came out right around the time when we weren't afraid to stay inside quite as much and we were no longer opposed to going to our neighborhood pool as a break from our own four walls.  This album will forever remind me of the truest and most pure joys of sunshine, fresh air, and the freedom one feels when outside surrounded by nature.  

29 - Tame Impala - The Slow Rush

I have always loved me some Tame Impala, and this is certainly not Kevin Parker's best album to date... but even the most average material, is still some of the strongest of the year overall.   Still bringing the same consistent level of dreamlike alternative pop melodies that Tame Impala has been known for in the last decade, it is an album to easily get lost in... and that was beyond helpful this year. 

28 - Car Seat Headrest - Making A Door Less Open

I have been an excited fan of Car Seat Headrest since I first head "Teens of Style" back in 2015 after I had just moved to Florida.  As the years have gone on and more albums have been released, I love the band even more.  I've been saying for years that Will Toledo is the ‘Beck’ that I have always wanted the real Beck to be, but has never fully become. The single "Can't Cool Me Down" is singlehandedly one of the best tracks of the year, by far!  Led by the most basic bass riff that fully drives the song forward, its those little odd and eccentric instruments used for accent that really hit when you are listening through a really good pair of headphones!  In a year where the outros on songs have been more prevalent in any years that I've ever noticed before, this was the first mind bending outro to fully grab my attention. An absolute must listen and a significant album to add to the bands catalog!

27 - Fontaines DC - A Hero’s Death

This is the first of the albums on my list that had been suggested to me through one of my Twitter music friends, and there have been quite a few of these suggestions this year, which makes me incredibly happy - as that was the whole idea of the account!  There was a genuine buzz around the sophomore album from this Dublin band that I had started to notice online, and I was excited to see what all the fuss was all about.  Immediately I was drawn into the sullen voice of Grian Chatten after watching the video for “Televised Mind”.  “A Hero’s Death stands out significantly for me after listening to their first album, but I love the significant growth that happened in the year in between. This is a band that I am very curious to see how they continue to grow in future years. 

26 - Mac Miller - Circles

I was one of those people who discovered Mac Miller too late. Young Frankie got me into him, as he always had Mac playing throughout our house. One day, I simply decided to start at the very beginning of his discography.  I fell in love with his energy, his humor, & his blunt honesty about his battles with depression and addiction.  Listening to "Blue Slide Park" for the first time made me feel like I was in college again. It would have been my favorite album had it come out at that time in my life.  For some, it did & I envy you all for that.  With all my love for him, listening to Mac can be painful when you sit and listen in chronological order   You can hear actually him deteriorate over the years, much like Jim Morrison with The Doors albums in chronological order.  As honest and sincere as this final record is,  it is incredibly sad to listen to Mac on "Circles" when you know there will never be a follow up.  Sadly the album does serve as a beautiful bookend to a tragically short story. 

25 - The Strokes - The New Abnormal

I've been a huge fan of Julien Casablancas and everything he has done for years, especially his most recent work with The Voidz.  However, the thought of a new Stokes album brought about some nostalgia for younger years when they were at their peak.  From the first listen, everything about this  album sounds as catchy and familiar, just what we have always come to expect from The Stokes, but at the same time, new. You hear one lick from Hammond Jr's guitar and you know exactly who you are listening to.  Even with seven years off, they are still capable of producing some serious quality work and it makes for some of their best. 

24 - Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons - We're the Bastards

This album was one of my accidental finds on Apple Music one day early in December when I thought all odds of discovering any new music before the end of the year was impossible.  Considering Campbell is the lead guitarist of Motorhead, I was expecting something a little different, perhaps a little harder? What I found was a solid family band rock album!  I love the idea that Phil has created a band with his three sons, on all instrumental duties.  The lead front man of Attack! Attack, Neil Starr, lends his vocals, and sounds a lot like a cross breed of Corey Taylor and Jacoby Shaddix that I actually find quite endearing, considering I am a fan of both of their bands respectively.  At a time where rock music seems to be something that you have to dig deep for, this was a fresh album to get very excited about.  

23 - Run The Jewels - RTJ4

Run The Jewels has been one of my favorite hip hip groups in recent years, as they have always created what I call "smart rap".  Smart rap has something to say ...it makes you listen,  but more so - it makes you THINK.  RTJ4 came out at EXACTLY when the world needed the album and words as an anthem.   Much more than just music, the lyrics in "Walking in the Snow" seemed prophetic at the time in the death of George Lloyd.  Looking back on it, the lyrics weren't prophetic at all.  Tragedies like George Floyd just happen FAR TO FUCKING OFTEN.  If you haven't listened to this album in its entirety, you need to... and you need to make sure you listen to every single syllable of every single word. 

22 - PVRIS - Use Me

Later on this list, you will hear me talk about the rash of female fronted bands that came out in the last few years that were never able to fully separate themselves from each other in my eyes.  PVRIS is one of the female fronted bands that I have always had an affinity for.  With that being said, this album was a complete change up of sounds than albums prior.  Much more dance-y and poppy than anything from their past, though it does work  well.   You will later see another band on this list who were able to steal the higher place, just for being more authentic and true to themselves.  Stay tuned! 

21 - Johan Johannsson - Last and First Men

I definitely experienced many moods during  quarantine and this album set off a rabbit hole in which I thoroughly enjoyed traveling through, as well as looking forward to continuing down.  I highly suggest everyone starts looking into Icelandic composers, especially Johann Johannsson.  His tragic story is just that, but his beautifully haunting music is still very much alive. Not only is "Last and First Men" an audiophiles dream from start to finish, learning that Johannsson scored one of my favorite movies of all times "Arrival", made complete and perfect sense.  Total mood music, and sometimes that mood just happens to be fucking apocalyptic.  Especially this year.  

20 - Pearl Jam - Gigaton

I'll just put this out there, Pearl Jam lost me as a fan for a great many years.  If I am being candid, and I always am - they lost me after Vs.  When the single "Dance of the Clairvoyant's" was released, I was blown away that somehow they were still putting out great music and I had to go back through the entire catalog to see what I had really been missing since Vitology, when I had officially  decided that I didn't like the softer route the band was taking.  Man, have I been wrong for far too long and am happy to admit it.  What an actual EPIC band! No real bullshit in their history, just a bunch of really good dudes making solid music for 30 years.  If you are like me at all, this is the album that you need to check out immediately.  Pearl Jam are back, even though they never really left!

19 - Yves Tumor  - Heaven To A Tortured Mind

This has to be one of the coolest, most trippy and adventurous albums of the year in my opinion.  This is yet another one, that came out at height of COVID and I loved it instantly the dark & twisted imagery that it can conjure up, while still being soulful and new.   "Gospel For A New Century" was the song and video that really gave this album some definitive visuals to work with, as Tumor wears some seriously creepy horns, reminding me of the devil in the Tom Cruise movie "Legend" from back in the 80's.  An absolutely intriguing album and one to revisit many times over, as there is nothing else like it being made today. 1

18 - Agoria - Lucky: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

I can't even remember how I found this little treat, but I did! I've tried to find the movie that its attached to many times, and have been quite unsuccessful so far.  With that being said, this is an insanely fun little electronic soundtrack. "Visit", "Satan", "All Over You", and "Police" are standout tracks from an album that brings electronic tribal percussion to your ears that is capable of making you dance in your seat.  After listening to this album repeatedly throughout the year, it makes me want to hire Agoria to score all of the most adventurous scenes of my life!

17 - Eminem - Music To Be Murdered By

Two surprise albums by Eminem in 2020, and that isn't always a good thing.  It doesn't matter who is reviewing anymore, everyone seems to hate Eminem now a days.  Not sure why, as he IS the lyrical genius he has always been... even if you still aren't in on the joke. Sure, he is just as offensive as always, but everyone has that friend that gets booed and yelled at for being the one to make a joke "too soon".  After listening to Eminem for the last 22 years  and being from metro Detroit, he has always been that friend to me,  even though he will never know it! The two surprise albums this year were significantly better than anything since MMLP2, and the lack of beats and production from Kamikaze and Revival are all but forgotten here .  We finally had some new slick beats, the kind that work very well with Em's style.  Deny it all you want, Marshall Mathers is still relevant today.  

16 - Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon 3

I knew that new music was coming from Cudi, but thought it was expected to be in the new year. However, I woke up on release day  in late December with a text message from Apple Music saying that it was here.  What?! I have always loved some Cudi, but this has been the year where he has played more of a soundtrack than ever before & had already made it into my all time favorites.  At first listen to MOTM3, I realized that it was going to need a few listens to really soak it all up, so I kept at it all day.  I read many critic and personal reviews and everyone seemed to be loving it,  but why wasn't I?  I kept at it, for days and days... and it worked.  I will say there is certainly more modern trap music than I like from my Cudi, but if he has to integrate it in his music, he does it well enough.  "Tequila Shots" is the stand out that has had the most airplay in our house, as it is the most quintessential Cudi sounding on the whole album.   The autobiographical "Elsie's Baby Boy" is another track that we've had on constant rotation.  All it takes is a Cudi hum, and I am sold. 

15 - HAIM - Women In Music Pt. III

As I slightly eluded to back in my PVRIS review, I have never been a huge fan of all female bands,  mainly as most came out at a time where there was a rash flooding of all female bands.  Obviously, I have nothing against this, as long as they all don't sound the same! HAIM hadn't caught me until this album, but wow.  The harmonies on "Darling" , Up From A Dream",  "Don't Wanna", and "Leaning On You" are so flawless that this band finally got the recognition from me that they deserve.  This album sets the band apart from the rest of the pack, as well as themselves!  Leaps above PVRIS, CVRCHES, Soccer Mommy, and the rest - this is the best female band fronted album for me in years. 

14 - Bassnectar  - The Lockdown Mixtapes Pt: 1 - Inside For The People

The better part of 2020 quarantine was spent in extreme close proximity with family while trying to hold down different non-negotiable responsibilities.   On my part, this usually included Air Pods in my ears any time I had to "be on" and work from home. Early on, it was impossible not to feel a little trapped and frankly pretty fucking sad. This album came out at precisely the right time of quarantine to bring you out of the funk, even if only temporary!  Listening to this for the first time, and hearing Biggie's voice come to life behind the beats was a smack in the face of 90's nostalgia that is was comforting... and something that I didn't even know I needed at the time.  The  use of the "American Beauty" dialogue in the outro was also oh so nice, and perfectly placed at the end. It  was unfortunate that the second Lockdown Mixtape came nowhere close to this first installment.  This is a must though, and it will always be an integral album to pull out whenever I am feeling a little claustrophobic. 

13 - Gorillaz - Song Machine, Season I: Strange Timez

One of my all time favorite bands for the last twenty years, even though they have missed the mark in the past.  This album brings back a lot of the sounds and creativity sparks that have been missing the last few albums. The moment you hear Robert Smith's voice start torture crooning about Strange Timez,  with a Damon Albarn echo, you know you're going to be in for a fun trip.  The Schoolboy Q featured "Pac Man" is without a doubt the most authentic Gorillaz song recorded in years.  This has also been the most cohesive complete album they have produced since Plastic Beach.  Paying attention to the recipe that made them one of the best, is a good way to move forward.  More of the same please, Damon. 

12 - Creeper - Sex , Death, & the Infinite Void

This album was recommended to me by a friend on Twitter & I was a little shocked on how much it reminded me of  some of the pop, punk, emo , alt rock bands that came out of the 2000's.  More specifically, My Chemical Romance, and I mean that in the best way.  I have often found myself loving some sort of incredible theatrics with my music and this album truly has more black eyeliner than I do.  Categorized as English Horror Punk, this sophomore effort by Creeper has rock opera written all over it.  The intro had me a little skeptical on first listen, but once you settle in with "Be My End" you start to have a feel of where you are going and it isn't as scary as a first impulse indicate!  

11 - Smith & Myers - Volume 1 & 2

One of my absolute favorite discoveries of 2020!  I have always been a fan of Shinedown & have some incredible memories of seeing them live at Rock on the Range years ago - so I was incredibly happy to discover this stripped down side project that only features vocalist Brent Smith and lead guitar Zach Myers performing acoustic covers.  Songs like "Unchained Melody" are done so perfectly, the sound like they were initially written for Smith's voice, which is a national treasure in itself! My absolute favorite cover off both volumes is "Valerie", most famously covered by Amy Winehouse, though originally written and performed by The Zutons.  i dare you to sing along to this cover and NOT smile.  The rest?  See for yourself. 1

10 - Marcus King - El Dorado

Early in the year, I saw a few friends had been listening to this album on Apple Music.  I had to check it out and immediately loved how different it was for a new country rock and blues album.  I was not shocked to discover that Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys played an integral part of its creation.  If you haven't discovered King yet, you should head right over to YouTube and check out any of his live performances.  This is the kind of dude you HAVE to see live, when this world ever gets back to being able to see live shows.  "El Dorado" did for me this year, what Sturgill Simpsons' "Sound of Fury" for me last year.  Another act that I cannot wait to see what comes next. 

9 - BAMBARA - Stray

To me, this is Mullholland Drive music. I picture California, up in the LA Hills, very late at night, cruising around, up to no good in some sleek, sharp convertible old school car. The big brass gives the music edge and age and its fucking glorious. This it the band that I would love to see do some sleazy and metaphor fueled track with Lana del Rey at some point in the future. Oh, what a combo that could be.  BAMBARA also brings to mind a Stooges/Iggy Pop meets Jim Morrison head on, kind of vibe and I love it a lot.  Check out their KEXP performance on YouTube, as it is absolute gold. Even though they refer to themselves as post punk, I'd like to refer to it as underground filth glamour... and its never been more beautiful. 

8 - Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist - Alfredo

Freddie Gibbs is one of the most exciting artists in modern hip hop, mainly because everything he puts out has that classic hip hop vibe that I have been missing.  Last year Gibbs made this list with his collaboration with Madlib, "Bandana". Whereas Eminem, Lil Wayne, and Kid Cudi have released some great albums this year, "Alfredo" is another cohesive piece of work that you just don't find often.  When the track placement doesn't matter, as they are a seamless piece, meant to be listened to from beginning to end, every time.  This album does for hip hop what Tyler The Creators, Igor,  did last year.  Its only appropriate there is a Tyler cameo.  Once again, bringing soul to the forefront of hip-hop, and I am totally here for it. 

7 - Chris Stapleton - Starting Over

This is the kind of modern country that I like. Bar rock country music!  Even though Stapleton hails from Kentucky and its true country,  something about his voice and this album makes me nostalgic for my childhood and those great Michigan summers growing up.  In a time of 'pretty boy' country, Stapleton gets to the grit of it.  This album conjures up the want for whiskey shots and dirty dancing.  There aren't many like it, but this is a greatest hits album from start to finish. 

6 - Benny Yurco - You Are My Dreams

Benny has always been the absolute best discovery of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, as he THRIVES on his own.  As well as I feel I know him as a solo artist, I can't find jack shit on him on his own.  Everything you find is all Grace Potter.  The little things that I DO know are, is that I am well aware that he is musical instrument collector and finds ways to integrate it into all his music. One thing I love about Benny is his absolute classic and beachy sounds. Even though he hails from Vermont, its like he was made to be on the beach at all times playing his music.   All three of his solo albums are so clearly connected, but so different. He always picks up right where the last one ended. It should be noted that anytime Benny comes out with a new album, he ends up on this list.  So if you have read about him here and have still never checked him out, you are missing out. 

5 - Me & That Man - New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol 1

One of the most "mood" albums of the year for me!  In the initial weeks of quarantine, I was in a mood where all I wanted to hear was outlaw western rock.  I couldn't really put a finger on any specific bands that I considered completely outlaw rock, but I had been listening to Volbeat's "Outlaw Gentleman & Shady Ladies" and the score for Red Dead Redemption for far too long, when I found Me & That Man.  Imagine my shock when I discovered the man behind the whole project was Nergal, the man who is also behind the band Behemoth, the black death metal band that I have simply never been able to get into!  What a turn from the norm for Nergal and I couldn't have been more excited about the album.  Another album that will always remind me of the worst of the worst of the year, but always knowing that music would carry it all and would always make things better. 

4 - All Them Witches - Nothing as the Ideal

I have a been a fan of All Them Witches since I first discovered them on Spotify years ago.  This is one of those albums that is so fucking perfect from beginning to end that you don't even realized that you have spent 45 minutes having a consistent eargasm. Exactly what a progressive rock band should sound like in 2020, as they draw from all past music and inspire the next round of craftsmanship.  This is one that I can't speak/type on too much, as it has to be experience on ones own... at full blast. 

3 - Molchat Doma - Monument

One of the best, purest retro albums that has been inspired by 80's in the best fucking way possible. How can you take something that has been done over and over throughout the years and make it sound not at all forced or contrived?   This is how.  I would call them new wave, but I've been since directed to the appropriate terminology, which is cold wave.  Hailing from Belarus, the Slavic language is such a perfect mesh for the sounds that they have created. The rest of the world was ahead of me with Molchat Doma, since one of their older songs hit TikTok and made them quite well known with a younger generation.  This album makes me daydream that I am dancing at one of their lives shows, in some dark eastern European club, where I would probably never feel comfortable, in anything outside of my imagination... but I it that though.  That is the kind of music that I live for.  

2 - Deftones - Ohms

It has been an entire decade since I have fully paid any significant attention to the Deftones, and for me, this has been their best album since White Pony twenty years ago.  The excitement that came with the release of the first two singles was enough to generate a massive buzz within me.  I made sure to listen to the entire catalog before release day, just to fully prepare... and when the new album finally arrive, it did not disappoint.   The last three albums have been the more subtle side of Chino Moreno, which is just fine when working with his side project +++.  He actually has one of my all time favorite sexy voices, when he isn't in the full tilt of a wail.  When he has the whole band behind him, he fully thrives and can still hit the screams that defined his voice decades ago.  This is an album that has made me feel all of the ROCK again and it will be in my rotation for many years to come. As the NYE ball drops this evening, I will be playing Ohms, as that is the best outro of any album to date... and certainly the way to close out the year. 

1 - Other Lives - For Their Love

My favorite of the year comes from a band that I had never heard of, despite their three albums that have been released prior! Even though I initially loved this album on first listen,  I will candidly admit that I forgot about it for a few months.  Somehow I found my way back, and For Their Love was on constant rotation for weeks at a time.  There is something about Jesse Tabish's voice that continues to haunt me well after the last note.  Other Lives has a sound that reminds me of something old, that has somehow become new and fresh all over again. It is haunting, it is beautiful, and it resonates the soul like a tuning fork.  The most beautiful souvenir of an awfully bleak and tragic year.  If you check out ONE of my suggestions this year, let it be this... 

#bestalbumsof2020

[thesirenserenity]

Miraculous Medley Chapter Seven: Closer

Marinette, a Vocal Performance and Composition Music Major at a local community college, is secretly Ladybug, the lead singer and songwriter for Paris’ most famous band, The AKs. Adrien, a Cello Performance Major at the most elite Music Conservatory, joins them under the guise of Chat Noir to play Bass. Adrien grew up believing that music was all about following exactly what the composer wanted, but Marinette teaches him that there is so much that can be communicated through music - everyone has someting to say through this universal language. Marinette is closed off to the world after being burned from a recent breakup, and Adrien helps her break down the walls she built up arround her. Based off of gittana’s Musicans AU

Rating: T - swearing and some adult content

Also on: AO3 | Fanfiction

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7

Sorry for the delay guys! I’ve had severe writer’s (and life) block for the past couple months.. I think I’m pulling out now (: I’m always looking for more friends/mutuals, so come chat with me! 

We ain’t ever getting older

We aint ever getting older

Adrien sighed and leaned his head against the girls’ kitchen counter, his cheek pressing against the cold tile. His eyes followed Marinette’s pacing through a small patch of the tile floor. Her hands were waving frantically in the air as she talked to Alya, who was leaning against the counter with a smug look on her face.

He stretched his arms out across the counter in a lazy stretch, blinking slowly at the abrasive kitchen light. He was slightly tipsy, enjoying the low buzz of the alcohol in his system and the sleepiness it brought.

They all still had their face paint on, Adrien noticed. Marinette’s was running down her face more than usual, courtesy of the heat of the dance floor at the club. He was sure that his matched, as they had danced for a while longer after discovering Alya’s ‘accidental’ publicity stunt. A couple drinks and dances later, they had made their way back to the girls’ house to scatter to respective homes. Adrien hadn’t gotten that far, following the raging Marinette, who had been dragging a smirking Alya, to the kitchen and planting on a stool at the island. Nino had wisely scattered, disappearing into the house.

Adrien had seen some of the comments on the multiple social media sites. Declarations of how adorable they were together, comments on their natural chemistry, and wistful hopes of them singing together littered the #ladynoir tag. He didn’t see the problem, feeling slightly smug that everyone could see how amazing his lady was and believed that he stood a chance with her; they were rather adorable together. Just by closing his eyes, he could feel her back in his arms on the dance floor, her lithe body swaying against his.

“… you see the problem here, right Adrien?” Marinette’s voice woke him out of his daydreaming stupor. Or was it a nightdreaming stupor? He wasn’t sure, nor did he care.

He lazily lifted his head off the counter. “What problem?” he asked.

Marinette huffed, much to Alya’s amusement. “Everyone is clamoring for us to sing together and they ship us!”

“So give them what they want; it could be fun to sing together,” Adrien murmured as he snuggled back down into his folded arm.

He could see Marinette throwing her arms in the air in frustration, “I don’t have any duets written!”

Adrien sighed, realizing that Marinette had worked herself into her frantic, worried mess. He shook off the dregs of his cat-nap and sat up, ready to reassure his partner and friend.

“Marinette, stop pacing and come sit next to me for a second.”

He watched as she took a deep breath, calming herself, and then came around the island to plop into the seat next to him with a little huff.

Scooping up her hands in his, he turned to face her and met her gaze with his own. “Everyone loves you, no matter what you do. You have an amazing fan base that will stick with you. But, their suggestion could turn out to be something wonderful! It’s a chance to write a whole new type of music. I’m not a trained singer like you, but no one’s complained about my singing yet, and I’m sure that under your guide we could be wonderful. I’ll follow your lead, no matter what.” He could see the frantic anxiety draining out of her eyes as she began to relax.

“What if you guys did a cover? Just a special thing to give the fans what they want?” Alya suggested. “That way, you don’t have to try writing duets yet and can experiment in the style. Though, I don’t think it would be much different than what you normally write, you dork. You’re freaking out over nothing, as per usual.” Alya rolled her eyes affectionately.

Adrien watched the tension melt from Marinette’s body as she began to process Alya’s idea. Her nose scrunched up like when she processed lyrics, her finger coming to tap against the bridge of her nose.

Her eyes lit up and a small smirk quirked up the right side of her mouth. “You know, Alya, I think you are onto something.”

Alya rolled her eyes, “Aren’t I always, girl?’

“Of course,” Marinette huffed. “All hail queen Alya and her brilliant ideas, like posting the video that started this whole mess.”

“Hey, you guys were freaking adorable and the whole world needed to see it,” Alya waved her phone. “Besides, you like to be challenged and stretched. So you’re welcome.”

Adrien’s head had fallen back onto his arms on the table, a sleepy smile stretching across his face.

Marinette’s hand fell on top of his hair, burrowing its way through the locks and scratching his head. His back arched in satisfaction and he moved his head closer to her hand.

Her giggle rang through his ears. “I guess we better get to covering a duet then, kitty. You willing to help me?”

He blinked up at her sleepily, “’course, M’ lady.”

Adrien woke up burrowed in his bed, the comforter wrapped up to his chin. He nuzzled back down into the fluffy pillow and smiled, the thought of Marinette in his arms dancing through his head. She was such an amazing friend and a talented musician. Even though she was trained in vocal music, and him in orchestral music, her knowledge was immense and he always learned with her. They had spent over an hour pouring over popular duets, before he had called Natalie to send him a ride.

They had selected a couple options, but none of them sat right with either of them. Marinette was adamant about not picking a lovey-dovey song and sticking to something more neutral, saying that she didn’t want to feed the fans more.

Adrien unplugged his phone and pulled it into the cocoon of covers, setting it against the pillow in front of his face. Scrolling through youtube, he found himself searching the band that sang one of the songs they danced to the previous night.

Just something I can turn to, somebody I can kiss

I want something just like this

He smiled to himself, remember how she felt in his arms. How she seemed to know exactly what step he would take and what to do to compliment it. How her voice intermingled with his, their noses touching. He would give anything to sing with her again, and thanks to the fans, they were now looking for a duet to cover.

Adrien flipped through the American group’s youtube channel, playing a few of their songs. They seemed to be a pop take on EDM music, and had two main members who wrote and performed the songs.

He noticed that one had a girl’s name featured in the title. Clicking on it, the music filled the room.

Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you

I drink too much and that's an issue but I'm okay

Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them

But I hope I never see them again

It was catchy, the beat making him want to snap and clap along. Juleka would have a blast making a cover to this. Or maybe they could do a body drumming thing?

The girl’s voice came in a little while into the song.

You look as good as the day I met you

I forget just why I left you, I was insane

Stay and play that Blink-182 song

That we beat to death in Tuscon, okay

Adrien smiled at the catchy chorus, and how their two voices intermingled. It was not too ‘lovey-dovey,’ as Marinette would say, but it still had a lot implied. It could be a really cool cover, without stretching their capabilities. Plus, this was the same group that sung the song that had started this whole shenanigan.

Adrien copied the link and sent it to Marinette.

To Marinette: “Good Morning Bug-a-boo! Check out this song, it’s the same band as the song we got famous with. Could be a good enough excuse for all the lovey-dovey lyrics ;)”

He continued to scroll through their music, listening to the next song on the list. They had a very similar style to something the AK’s would produce.

His phone binged over the music.

From Marinette: “WOW, this might just be perfect, kitty. I like it a lot. I’m surprised I haven’t heard this song before? WHERE HAS IT BEEN ALL MY LIFE. Working on a cover now.”

He smiled at her enthusiasm, wishing he could have watched her reaction as she listened to the song for the first time.

Another text came in right away.

From Marinette: “What are you doing today? You should come over cause I need my partner in crime to do this.”

Adrien’s face lit up as he read the text. He quickly checked his schedule and replied.

To Marinette: “I’m free! I’ll be over as soon as I can get my ass out of bed.”

He added a cute cat emoji and sent it, stretching his arms out of his comforter cocoon. Untangling his legs from the bed, he rolled onto the floor and huffed. Peeling himself from the floor, he made his way to the bathroom for a shower and much needed teeth brushing.

His phone binged at him.

From Marinette: “Can’t wait to see you!”

Adrien grinned, letting the words of the song wash over him.

We ain't ever getting older

No we ain't ever getting older

#muse's musings #Miraculous medley #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #ladynoir #adrienette

[213hiphopworldnews]

Here’s What We Can Learn From The 21 Savage ‘ASMR’ Jewish Money Lyrics Controversy

Getty Image / Uproxx Studios

Rap is a genre of stereotypes. Gangsta, nerd, emo, conscious — all of these labels and more have been applied to rappers over the years, yet rarely have they ever encompassed the totality of any of the music’s various subgenres or even individual performers.

J. Cole, a supposedly “conscious” rapper, has more than his share of flagrantly ignorant or regressive bars in his catalog. Drake, the ostensible poster child for emotional navel-gazing, has enough rugged, battle ready tough talk in his oeuvre to stand toe-to-toe with any ’90s-era thug rapper save DMX. Even 21 Savage, a supposed mumble rapper, has spit some truly insightful, heartfelt rhymes about trauma, systemic racism, and romantic heartbreak among his sneering threats and pessimistic observations.

One thing every rapper does have in common, though, is employing stereotypes to get their points across in their rhymes, from reductive jokes about the eye shape of those of Asian heritage to imply inebriation (“Eyes so low, I look Asian” is a punchline you can find in almost any rapper’s collection) to the old standbys about the worth of “loose” women that they can’t seem to shake using, no matter how “woke” they try to come across.

Hip-hop has always drawn its share of criticism for these and other lyrical shortcuts, but over this past weekend, the genre and the culture came under closer scrutiny than ever after a social media quote from one of the world’s most famous athletes sparked a debate about rap’s reliance on stereotypes, how those stereotypes can have harmful effects even when used with positive intent, and what responsibility artists have — if any — to clean up certain crutches from their vocabularies. While it’s true that they likely should make more effort to find creative ways to express certain ideas, the story — as always — is much more complicated than the social media debate makes it seem.

The lyric in question came from 21 Savage’s “ASMR,” a song from his new album I Am > I Was which playfully references the viral jokes that spawned from his whispered delivery on Metro Boomin’s “Don’t Come Out The House.” In the song, he cracks wise about his newfound financial stability, rhyming, “We been gettin’ that Jewish money, everything is Kosher.” When NBA star LeBron James quoted the bar in an Instagram post, however, seemingly all hell broke loose, with LeBron getting blasted with accusations of prejudice and perpetuating a negative stereotype about Jewish people. Though the Lakers star removed the offending post and issued an apology, multiple parties did their best to come to his defense, explaining that no harm was meant in his use of the quote.

Jews have always owned everything in our culture from record labels …. our favorite teams … our neighborhoods … our clothing … it has always been a compliment to say we was getting money like them from knowing the history of them overcoming hatred! https://t.co/AEBMU5cSIB

— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) December 25, 2018

Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill tried to explicate the thinking behind the bar, telling one fan on Twitter, “Jews have always owned everything in our culture from record labels… our favorite teams… our neighborhoods… our clothing… it has always been a compliment to say we was getting money like them from knowing the history of them overcoming hatred!”

The Jewish people I know are very wise with there money so that’s why I said we been gettin Jewish money I never thought anyone would take offense I’m sorry if I offended everybody never my intention I love all people

— Saint Laurent Don (@21savage) December 25, 2018

Even Savage himself apologized just a few days later on Christmas Eve, explaining, “The Jewish people I know are very wise with there money so that’s why I said we been gettin’ Jewish money I never thought anyone would take offense I’m sorry if I offended everybody never my intention I love all people.”

Undoubtedly, many of their fans also wondered how being considered good with money could be offensive. After all, both Meek and Savage make a point: From their viewpoint, many if not all of the Jewish people they are likely to know, either from their upbringing or their shared career path, are successful business owners. They both grew up in nearly all-Black neighborhoods and though many Black artists and music managers run successful indie or vanity imprints, the people who founded and hold high-ranking positions at many of the major labels like Universal, Atlantic, RCA, Columbia, and more are culturally Jewish. Almost any music fan has at least heard names like Scooter Braun, Lyor Cohen, Clive Davis, and Jerry Heller.

In Savage’s mind, and in the minds of any other rapper or entertainer who has been accused of defamation in recent years like Jay-Z or LeBron, these businessmen are icons to be admired and emulated. However, because of limited exposure to Jewish people culturally — again, these are performers who lived and worked primarily with other Black people before their entry into the music business — they aren’t likely to know the history of the stereotype or how it has been used in the past to justify genocide against them as a group. NBA commentator Jared Dubin wrote a tremendous breakdown on Medium tracing how this seemingly harmless stereotype has been expanded upon by opportunistic bigots to advance destructive, anti-semitic viewpoints and agendas like those associated with the Nazis in 1930s Germany or the burgeoning US “Alt-right” white supremacist movement online today.

There are also plenty of modern examples of why blaming a specific minority group for all of the world's problems is, well, a problem.

— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) December 24, 2018

Moments like this are necessary to help put multiple perspectives and viewpoints into context for people who wouldn’t necessarily have any other way to have these discussions. They’re also a perfect example of the way hip-hop brings people together; while there will undoubtedly be at least some friction as a result, it gives us as hip-hop fans opportunity to learn more about each other and grow as responsible citizens of a global community. Unfortunately, they also highlight the ways in which hip-hop often fails that global community by reducing so many groups to catchy shorthand “truisms” that are often fueled more by ignorance than understanding.

Surprised LeBron, who makes very few mistakes, put this out. Does quoting lyrics from a song absolve the person quoting from the responsibility behind the words? I’d argue no, especially with a following of 45 million. pic.twitter.com/efv9gkXres

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 23, 2018

Just last week, Lil Pump was put through the wringer for a line in which he mocked the Chinese language — an offense that many, many rappers have also committed throughout the years. Hip-hop still has yet to grapple with its reductive and demeaning views of women. And, as some fans pointed out, the tough guy, criminal imagery that a sizeable portion of rap’s artists utilize as a marketing gimmick is built on and reinforces stereotypes of Black and Latino men which have been used to justify excessive force from police and the clearly prejudiced reasoning behind Donald Trump’s ridiculous border wall.

While the thuggish stereotype of Black men can be directly linked to deadly encounters with police — Mike Brown or Trayvon Martin, for example — the border wall concept is as irresponsible a waste of government resources as any ever seen — at last estimate, it’d cost $5 billion dollars, which could just as easily be money funneled into education or legitimate infrastructure.

Not to blame rap music for those stereotypes or the troubles they’ve exacerbated, but as long as we’re holding rappers accountable for learning more about the historical genocide of one group of people, there are a lot of other areas where the genre can improve. What the discussion surrounding 21 Savage and LeBron’s faux pas shows us is that there is a better way to have these discussions. Rather than “canceling” LeBron or Savage, concerned observers sought to explain and listen, which helped those entertainers to understand the viewpoints of those they’d inadvertently offended, while at the same time, express that they hadn’t meant any harm as well as explain why they didn’t understand the harm in the first place. If the same approach could apply to the other topics rappers often find themselves in trouble over, it’s possible that rap could finally evolve past the need for apologies and debates, bringing more people together than it could ever accidentally offend.

Meek Mill and Lil Pump are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

source https://uproxx.com/hiphop/21-savage-asmr-jewish-money-lyrics-controversy/

#hiphop #hip hop legend #hip hop history #hip hop #music #trending #hip hop news #ballin #hip hop scen

[kristinamacdonald-blog]

*Rhetoric as Narrative*

In this entry, I will examine the following critical questions: Does J. Cole’s interpretation of the War On Drugs in America in his music video for Crooked Smile reflect the Rational World Paradigm or the Narrative Paradigm? What narratives and truths does it promote about US culture? To investigate these questions, I will look at the rapper’s music video to his 2013 song, Crooked Smile. To answer these questions, I will be drawing from philosopher, Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm theory, ideas from Palczewski, Ice, and Fritch’s Rhetoric in Civic Life, as well as sections from Professor, Michelle Alexander’s book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness and statistics about the War on Drugs. With these sources, I will be able to adequately answer my critical questions.

In their book, Rhetoric in Civic Life, Palczewski, Ice, and Fritch (2012) explain that narratives are representations of events, language, ideology, culture, and a way of drawing interest. They draw on personal memory as well as public memory. One’s narrative can often indicate their own values and ideologies. Not all people share the same experiences, memories, and values; people disagree. This is why the authors argue that rhetoric is necessary because of human nature. They say,

Ancient teachers of rhetoric thought that disagreement among beings was inevitable because of individuals perceive the world differently from one another [...] Even more important, the ancient teachers knew that people differ in their opinions about how the world works, so it was often hard to tell whose was the best. They invented rhetoric so that they would have means to judge whose opinion was most accurate, useful, or valuable. If people didn’t disagree, rhetoric wouldn’t be necessary. But they do, and it is (p. 18).

Even with the invention of rhetoric, it is still difficult to decide that one person’s narrative is more correct than another’s. Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm Theory helps to categorize narratives. He, too, believes that narratives describe events and history. He explains that humans can interpret events through different paradigms (Communication Theory). First, there is the Rational World Paradigm, which describes a narrative based on data, statistics, and facts. Then there is the Narrative World Paradigm, which tells a story and creates meaning for those consuming the narrative. Fisher says that the two often merge together.

J. Cole’s song, Crooked Smile, was released in June of 2013. With an upbeat tempo, sweet lyrics like, “babygirl, you’re a star, don’t let ‘em tell you you’re not”, the song tells a story about a woman trying to emanate confidence in a world that only criticizes her. That is only on the surface, though. The music video, released in September of 2013, reveals a much different message. One of the narratives evident in Cole’s video is that of a single, black father who is treated unfairly by the justice system. While Cole’s character is indeed a drug dealer, clues from the video show that he is a nonviolent family man. Cole wakes up, brushes his teeth, cleans the house, mows the lawn, and smiles while he counts the seven candles he carefully places on his daughter’s birthday cake. When his daughter arrives, she eagerly runs to embrace him. Soon after, he sings happy birthday to her with his mom and dad. This promotes the truth that not all black men are violent drug dealers who abandon their family. Despite this, later in the video, Cole’s home is raided by an DEA officer who also is a single father with a daughter of the same age. While Cole is being arrested, he watches his daughter die as she is accidentally shot by another officer, after slowly and quietly peering out of her room to investigate the raid that woke her up. Officers proceed to put Cole in the back of a police car as he watches other officers carry his daughter’s body out of the house. Everyone involved in the situation is shook by the death of the young girl. This promotes the truth that it does not matter if you are a violent heroin dealer or a small-time nonviolent marijuana dealer, if you are a black man in America, you will be treated the same. Another truth it speaks is that law enforcement and the government in America care more about taking down people committing nonviolent drug offenses than they do about protecting the lives of innocent people. This narrative also promotes the truth that the War on Drugs is racially charged. Cole’s daughter being fatally shot also promotes the truth that law enforcement is more likely to be violent towards people of color, no matter their innocence; even they are a sleepy little girl. The video ends with a message reading, “For Aiyana Stanley-Jones. And please reconsider your war on drugs.” Aiyana Stanley-Jones was a 7 year-old African American girl who was fatally shot during a police raid in her house in Detroit, Michigan back in May of 2010. This promotes the truth that the racially charged War on Drugs is at fault for destroying families and for the loss of innocent people.

There are advantages and disadvantages to Cole’s narrative. Crooked Smile is a catchy song, so many people will likely watch the music video. This gives Cole a platform to tell a story, and he did. He told a story different from most of the song’s lyrics, in order to send a message. He paints an ugly picture of how the US law enforcement treats people. This narrative has advantages as well as its disadvantages. An advantage to Cole’s narrative is that many people are able to see the issues with the War on Drugs. They are able to learn the name of Aiyana Stanley-Jones. It is a call to action that people may respond to after realizing the unsettling truths Cole promotes. A disadvantage is that people that watch the video may see law enforcement in an unfair light. Not all police officers are racist, hot headed people, specifically seeking out people of color. This places a lot of blame, some deserved and some not, on the American law enforcement. Depending on the consumer, this narrative has the ability to bring the nation together, or tear it apart.

Law professor, Michelle Alexander, further explains that the narrative of the War on Drugs being racially charged in her book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (2011). Alexander explains that the criminal justice system uses the War on Drugs as a key tool for enforcing racism, discrimination, and oppression. The War on Drugs refers to the US government’s campaign of prohibition of drugs. In 1971 President Richard Nixon declared that drug abuse was public enemy number 1, thus beginning the War on Drugs (p. 49). The War on Drugs continued to the present, as proceeding presidents were competitive about who could be harder on drugs in order to gain popularity. From 1971 to the 1980s, the number of arrests for all crimes had risen 28%, while the number of drug offense arrests had risen 126%, resulting in a for-profit prison industry (Human Rights Watch). It is clear that this was racially driven because nationwide, African Americans were sent to state prisons for drug offenses 13 times more often than other races, even though they only comprised a small fraction of regular drug users (Washington Post). It also becomes clear because there are harsher sentences for drugs used more frequently by people of color than by white people (Washington Post). Alexander says, “Virtually all constitutional civil liberties have been undermined by the drug war” (p. 62). She blames this on loose law enforcement restrictions, lawyers fashioning juries to exclude people of color, and the media circulating false information. Her narrative is that the law uses colorblindness to perpetuate racism and unfair treatment.

Based on the sources I analyzed, I conclude that J. Cole’s interpretation of the War on Drugs in the Crooked Smile music video is both representative of the Rational World Paradigm as well as the Narrative World Paradigm. He promotes the narrative that the War on Drugs is racially charged and that it takes lives of the innocent. Based on the facts presented, that narrative is proved to be true. Cole is a black man in America and has had his own experiences. Some people have had similar experiences to him, while others are on the opposite side of the spectrum. That is why rhetoric is necessary. He shares the narrative of people of color in a “colorblind” society.

References

Alexander, M. (2011). The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (pp. 49-62). New York, NY: News Press.

The Fair Sentencing Act Corrects a Long-Time Wrong in Cocaine Cases. The Washington Post, August 3, 2010.

Palczewski, C. H., Ice, R., Fritch, J. (2012). Narratives. In Rhetoric in Civil Life (pp. 18). State College, PA: Strata Publishing, Inc.

Punishment and Prejudice: Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs. Human Rights Watch. 2000.

[thesinglesjukebox]

MACHINE GUN KELLY & CAMILA CABELLO - BAD THINGS [3.50] Do you think we'll be happier about more kink and less One Direction?

Josh Winters: I can't explain cisgender heterosexual attraction, either, but from the sound of it, it seems like a ba-- [1]

Alfred Soto: I know it's "complicated" because Machine Gun Kelly lets his teeth sink into her lips. [2]

A.J. Cohn: While this track teasingly suggests kinkiness, the actual sexual fantasies described are decidedly bland: "Let me paint the picture/Couch by the kitchen/Nothin' but your heels on." It seems that sexual acts of the heterosexual, fairly vanilla variety are the titular "bad things" -- wait, maybe I love this song. [4]

Mo Kim: No, Camila, you're not out of your head -- in fact, it would be nice if you could get out of it and stop mewling half of your parts in that helium-inflected voice. Then again, one could make the argument that she's only putting as much substance into her performance as she could find in the lyrics; would that we knew any of the Bad Things she and Machine Gun Nerf Gun Kelly (who raps like a first-grade teacher trying to spice up a Common Core lesson on rhyming) are into. Alas, nowhere in the song are they ever specified, so we can only infer the abominable pleasures this duo want to partake in: avoiding BPMs above 10, plagiarizing Soundcloud user unprettytrapstar's remix of a formerly tolerable Fastball song, making kink vague and nondescript enough to pitch to a mass-market audience busy Googling tips to spice up their sex life, boring everybody within earshot of a major radio station and/or mall to death. One pity point for the poor middle school students who will have to endure this dirge at every talent show in their foreseeable future. [1]

Maxwell Cavaseno: Camila Cabello is truly one of the darkest, most malicious sadists on this Earth. By some defect of personality, she has chosen to take the worst parts of Ariana Grande (her tendency to scream to the point of ear-piercing), and overload that both with even more bombast and neurotic tics of melisma. The same way military experts think blasting Metallica at prisoners ensures breakdown of will, Cabello's depravity could warp and plague the minds of the unwilling victims. It's a great counterpoint to Machine Gun Kelly, who's greatest weakness is, despite a technical mastery and excellence of execution, he has not come close to expressing one human emotion with his voice. There was a point on early singles when he goes for anger, and he screamed with all the intensity of an exhausted parent faking monster noises for five clamoring children. As a base for someone who knows nothing about having a personality, this is the perfect combination of too much "personality"; somehow, Kelly dodges his usual brand of post-Eminem/Tech N9ne wank and veers into accidental parallels to A-Wax's white trash toxicity -- though a kinder, gentler version for teens who should just do their best to find the chill once in a while. [6]

Jonathan Bradley: Machine Gun Kelly combines Wiz Khalifa's stoner meditations with Eminem's maladroit earnestness, which apparently is how he ends up swooning over a "pretty little vixen" who runs her nails over his back tattoo. Times like these, I long for the return of real dirtbags -- or at least Shifty Shellshock. Cabello -- the vixen, I guess -- has a nursery rhyme to sing; the good thing about having to sit still and sing pretty is there's no risk of embarrassing yourself. [3]

Katie Gill: The problem with "Bad Things" is simple: for all they've tried to push her, Camila Cabello has always been one of the weaker members of Fifth Harmony. Her voice trends towards the nasal and she consistently has a problem with higher notes, something that's apparent right off the bat when her attempt at breathlessly, easily singing "if you only knew the bad things I like" comes off as her desperately trying to reach those notes in the first place. Add in a criminally boring rap from Machine Gun Kelly and this song lives up to it's title. [3]

Andy Hutchins: Camila Cabello's career is still Ariana Tall at most, but you get the sense she'd like to be Ariana Venti, at a minimum. Good thing, then, that there will always be damsel-in-distressed love placements like this one, on which she climbs the upper register to tantalize Bad Boy's white boy "Wild Boy" with "If you only knew the bad things I like." None of her specific likes are ever fully vocalized, while Kellz, so far removed from telling Waka he's a "hard rapper" that he may as well be chewed taffy, settles for heels-only sex on the "couch by the kitchen," yet this love is "so unique." "Love The Way You Lie," an equally problematic song, at least tried to convince listeners that there might be pain and passion in an abusive relationship. [2]

Katherine St Asaph: The pop machine can't even commit to calling him "Machine Gun Kelly" -- at least only Radio Disney felt compelled to attribute "Closer" to "TCS," and also that's horrifying. So the bad-things ceiling is pretty low from the outset, somewhere around liking Fastball. If we've learned one thing from the Great Derailment of 2016 it's that we live in conservativeland, where "bad things" generally means "thoughts of premarital sex by women"; if we've learned one thing from this bleak midwinter of relationships in pop, it's that "bad things" here probably means the woman being the top. Most duets are manufactured for follower synergy, and the difference is fandom and taste. So I shouldn't make too much of Camila Cabello never having heard "Out of My Head" or Kelly's pop push, like G-Eazy's, existing because top 40 radio is scrambling harder and harder not to playlist black rappers. But sometimes it's just that extra bit of blatant. [1]

Josh Langhoff: Just when I'd forgotten the unrelenting hellscape of the late '90s, here comes a remake of the other Fastball song, with all the portent of György Ligeti plonking out the Eyes Wide Shut soundtrack, and lifting its title from that unfunny comedy where Jeremy Piven kills the stripper in Vegas. Sure, baby doing bad bad things can be a turn-on, and pissing all over Fastball songs is the best way to honor them. But just as comedies should be funny, sexy songs should be erotic. These two sound like they mistook a medical textbook for The Joy of Sex. [1]

Edward Okulicz: Oh you dimwits, the good Fastball single was always "Fire Escape," and having sex on one of those might actually qualify as a Bad Thing. Camila Cabello sounds like she thinks she needs to apologise for having a vagina. [2]

Ramzi Awn: They bring up a good sample, that's for sure. And Ms. Cabello's vocal is outrageous. [6]

Joshua Copperman: The ambient intro is bizarre. It sounds like new Coldplay sampling themselves from Viva La Vida-era Coldplay. Also weird is Camila Cabello's melody in the chorus, which didn't make sense to me until I heard the source of the sample. It works there, because of Fastballer Tony Scalzo's laid-back delivery, but the Auto-Tune and severe compression on Cabello makes that note sound like a glitch. MGK himself is cringey but passable enough. I like the "scars on my body" line as a hook (also "I'm insane/but you're the same"), but the chorus clashes so much with the rest of the song that it's difficult to reconcile the two sides. In fact, I'd like this song more if it was just called "Scars On My Body," and those pre-chorus lines were the chorus. Then it would be fun to shout along to, but Camila and her awkward melody mostly remain in a completely different universe from the rest of the song. It brings to mind the time earlier in the decade where Skylar Grey was grafted onto several Alex Da Kid productions no matter the context. While Grey's performances were usually excellent, until the last minute or so Cabello gives the exact kind of emotionless delivery that someone who left her former band "via her representatives" would give. [4]

Will Adams: Camila Cabello's solo leap is premature and already annoying, but I'm inclined to give her some kudos for sounding relatively restrained compared to YOoooUURRR'e tHEEeeE BoOoooOSss AaT hOoOMeEe, while Machine Gun Kelly represents the beginning of a wave of mealy-mouthed white dude rappers. So the problems with "Bad Things" are mostly its periphery, and the song itself is another example of radio sludge that likes to imply danger or badness without taking any risk in naming it. [4]

Thomas Inskeep: It's funny how so many current pop hits are mining the '90s for their samples and interpolations, when the bulk of their intended audience isn't familiar with said source material, often because they're too young to recall it. Case in point, this single, built largely around a rejiggering of Fastball's 1998 hit "Out of My Head" -- I wonder, did producers The Futuristics and YektroBeatz use it for nostalgia value? Or (and this is where I lean) more likely, did they just like the melody of Fastball's hit and decide that it was a good thing to incorporate into their single? Either way, "Bad Things" has reminded or informed me of the following things: a) "Out of My Head" kinda sounds like The Band; b) Machine Gun Kelly has no discernible talent whatsoever; c) I'm sick to fucking death of Caucasian rappers; d) Camila Cabello couldn't have timed her departure from Fifth Harmony better, as this blows up into a huge smash; e) this record rides on her talent 100 per cent. I wish the production on this were a bit more distinctive, but it still stands out a bit from most Top 40 radio fodder these days, and for that I'm grateful. [6]

Megan Harrington: Do you believe in borrowed nostalgia? I don't. I don't think "Bad Things" is at all a sentimental, water colored '90s retread. And sampling isn't -- and never was -- an act of nostalgia. "Bad Things" isn't nostalgic; it's catchy. It's catchy and it's just a bit too vile which makes it complicated and fascinating. I'm compelled by the way co-dependence and lust fold together, staining each other and making the song's narrators unlikable to anyone but themselves. I'm drawn to their narcissistic attraction, to their mutual sickness. Apart, these two are classic antagonists. Together, they are a very particular storybook romance: true love's curdled remains. [10]

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#Machine Gun Kelly #Camila Cabello #Bad Things