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sinceileftyoublog · 2 years

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Square Roots 2022: 7/8-7/9

BY JORDAN MAINZER

In its first incarnation since the pandemic, Lincoln Square’s preeminent summer street festival, Square Roots, continued its penchant for expanding the average person’s definition of “roots” music. This year’s lineup, with the likes of Bob Mould and DEHD, made the case for punk being just as big of a part of America’s roots as any type of music, while still showcasing the best of the Midwest in folk and indie rock.

Ten years ago, the best reason to see Mould would be to hear a pitch-perfect mix of classic songs from Hüsker Dü, Sugar, and his perennially underrated solo career. But over the past six years, specifically, he’s been on a real heater. 2016′s Patch the Sky is potentially his best post-Workbook solo record, and unlike last time I saw him, Friday night, he played both “Voices in My Head” and “Black Confetti”, the former a nice change of tempo after a flurry of Hüsker Dü heavyweights like “Never Talking to You Again” and “Celebrated Summer”. 2019′s Sunshine Rock had its moments, and Mould burned through one of its unabashed highlights, the unintentionally Yeah Yeah Yeahs quoting title track. And as this will be the first year Mould will be able to fully tour his pummeling protest album, 2020′s Blue Hearts (Merge), it was the solo album from which he thankfully pulled the most. Bassist Jason Narducy offered soaring harmonies on “Siberian Butterfly” and screams on “Next Generation”, while “Forecast Of Rain” and “The Ocean” played the role of “Voices In My Head” in the set, a break before the flurry of madness.

Guided By Voices, meanwhile, are used to Mould’s challenge. They’ve released two of three planned albums in 2022, and both are some of the strongest with the Robert Pollard-Doug Gillard-Bobby Bare Jr.-Mark Shue-Kevin March lineup. Both Crystal Nuns Cathedral and Tremblers And Goggles By Rank (Guided by Voices Inc.) continue the band’s prog rock-inspired streak. A few songs on the former are bolstered by cello from Chris George, like the slow-lurching, yet mammoth “Eye City”. Saturday night, GBV played what I thought would be the most challenging of those to pull off life, “Climbing A Ramp”, which is almost entirely built on George’s strings. That said, Gillard, who rips solos with the best of them, carried the song to the end and right into his masterpiece “I Am A Tree”. I would have liked to have heard a song like “Re-Develop”, with its soaring vocals around acoustic-to-electric guitar lines, or “Never Mind The List”, a tune that has the potential to become a crowd shout-along for years to come. “Go inside, let us play / And I’ll always throw another list away,” sings Pollard on that one, perhaps referring to the band’s time-honored tradition of giving away their setlists at the end of shows.

Tremblers And Goggles By Rank, on the other hand, basks in the lyrical non-sequiturs that define GBV, returning from the rare moments of thematic clarity on Crystal Nuns Cathedral. As it’s the more recent of the two, the band played from it more than they did any album, even Bee Thousand or Alien Lanes. They led off the set with the choppy “Unproductive Funk”. “Boomerang” was the clanging respite between anthems “Tractor Rape Chain” and “The Best of Jill Hives”. Of the two The Who Sell Out-inspired tunes on Tremblers And Goggles By Rank, Pollard and company opted for the power pop of “Alex Bell” over the album’s pseudo title track. While “Alex Bell” is a name portmanteau of two of the co-founders of Big Star, its ambitious structure is certainly a far cry from the ear candy of Chilton and Chris Bell. I was perhaps most surprised to hear 6+-minute Tremblers closer “Who Wants To Go Hunting”, which makes use of pianos and timpani; Gillard at least triggered some noise for good measure.

The two bands that played before Guided By Voices on the festival’s main stage have been following formulas that work for them for years, kind of like GBV themselves (well, up until these past few years’ delving into prog rock). But instead of indie rock ditties, Chicago’s DEHD thrive with lovelorn surf punk and Minneapolis’ The Cactus Blossoms with languid country folk. The former recently released their fourth studio album and Fat Possum debut Blue Skies, produced by the band’s singer/guitarist Jason Balla and mixed and mastered by heavyweights Craig Silvey and Heba Kadry, respectively. Indeed, Blue Skies combines the ethos of previous records like Flower Of Devotion with more tools at the band’s disposal, from the personnel involved to access to more instruments. It’s their best record yet, but its success is more due to the band refining what they do to a science. “Run, baby run” and “Walk, baby walk” are calls that pervade two of the live highlights from the new album, bopping even more than “Dream Baby Dream”. The former comes from Blue Skies lead single “Bad Love”, which combines almost all of the things DEHD do well: Emily Kempf’s bellowing vocals, Balla’s twangy guitars, drummer Eric McGrady’s two-snare gallop. “Run, baby, run / Run from the bad love / New love baby, come on honey, gimme some,” is a paean to the optimism of summer crushes, tailor made for a festival set.

The Cactus Blossoms played greatly from their most recent album One Day (Walkie Talkie), whose best songs combine dark themes with breezy instrumentals. Despite the googly eyed choogle of a song like “Desperado” or the retro sway of “I’m Calling You”, the brother-led band isn’t all roses, and One Day exemplifies their complexity. Take a track like “Ballad of an Unknown”, soft psychedelia that’s actually a story about a vagrant suffering from society’s lack of care, the opposite of hippie idealism. On “Is It Over”, Jack Torrey and Page Burkum sing, “All washed up, you're bound to fall / Just waiting for the curtain call,” a sense of fatalism hovering above their pleasantries. Of course, listening to the band in a crowd of people drinking good beer is pleasant, not lost on The Cactus Blossoms. One Day’s “Everybody” was a surefire set highlight despite its absence of Jenny Lewis (who guests on the studio version). “Everybody tryin’ to do what’s right / Everybody stayin’ up all night / Everybody waitin’ for the light,” is a simple, but true sentiment, especially heartfelt delivered in unison with a buzzed crowd. And of course, You’re Dreaming centerpiece “Change Your Ways Or Die” is the best tick-tock chug this side of the late, great Walkmen.

Overall, Square Roots continues to be the best street festival of the summer thanks to its cohesive identity. I can’t wait to see what comes in 2023.

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c0zy-fluff · 2 months

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Please, for the love of God, give us your smiling critters Mario party headcannons, all of them, all of them that you have, please

*giggles maliciously*

You have no idea what you just released- I have a LOT of hcs that I REALLY wanna draw- But I suppose I'll list them first-

What version do the Smiling Critters prefer to play?

- I'd say either Mario Party 8 or 9- Maybe 9 because that's where they're altogether and it paints more of a friendly image cuz of the layout and the OST (srsly, I LOVE the OST of Mario Party 9 and it was my childhood-) Also, for the sake of not making this post go on and on, Imma just be using Mario Party 9 for this-

Who do the Smiling Critters main?

- Tough question. Kinda. Buuuuut, Imma use Mario Party 9 characters cuz why not-

DogDay - Toad

CatNap - Shy Guy

Kickin - Wario

Bubba - Koopa (or maybe Magikoopa, idk)

Hoppy - Daisy

Bobby - Peach

Picky - Birdo

Crafty - Yoshi

What is their fav mini game? (Type of game; fighting, luck etc.)

Kickin - Magma Mayhem (He gets out immediately cuz someone kicks them off LMAO)

Hoppy - Launch Break (Kickin questions her power on how fast she's spamming the button)

Bubba - Card Smarts (He got that big brain plays)

Picky - Pizza Me, Mario ( One word. Food.)

Crafty - Flinger Painting (They don't know how they almost always win this one and will always internally question it)

Bobby - Buddy Bounce (She loves the music and helping herself and the other critters out)

DogDay - Ring Leader (Makes him feel like he's actually riding a dolphin and it makes him feel so alive-)

CatNap - Manor of Escape (no matter what door they goes through, he ALWAYS manages to be the first to find the right door)

What's their fav board to play on?

Hoppy - Magma Mine

DogDay, Crafty, and Bobby - Toad Road

CatNap - Boo's Horror Castle

Bubba - Bob-Omb Factory

Kickin - Blooper Beach

Picky - DK Jungle Ruins

Which boss fights are their most favorite/least favorite?

DogDay - Most favorite: Wiggler ("Aww!! He's so friendly-shaped!!")

Least favorite: Dry Bones

CatNap - Most Favorite: King Boo

Least Favorite: Whomp (they're always being the one who's sacrificed)

Bubba - Most favorite: Dry Bones ("An elephant always remembers!")

Least Favorite: King Bob-Omb (Too many ppl pick the same one as him, especially Kickin)

Kickin - Most Favorite: Chain Chomp (The OST slaps for them and he gets surprisingly lucky they aren't Chomp-bait, cuz his ass isn't paying attention one bit to the rails)

Least Favorite: Spike (Hoppy's too damn fast for them)

Hoppy - Most Favorite: Spike (She mostly gets the golden hammer everytime)

Least Favorite: Bowser Jr (Luck is surprisingly her enemy)

Bobby - Most Favorite: Cheep-Cheep ("Aww they look so cute!! Why do we have to fight them?" "For the mini stars!!" "...Okay, but why?") ((Kickin's the one who's talking to them-))

Least Favorite: Bowser (She barely manages to get her character's face on the block)

Crafty - Most Favorite: Blooper (She could get inspiration to make a pirate-related painting from the OST)

Least Favorite: Lakitu (They keep accidentally bumping into the spikes)

Picky - Most Favorite: Bowser Jr (If she's surprisingly lucky with high dice rolls, she might just win that fight)

Least Favorite: King Boo (The other critters keep taking the same lineup she's trying to go for)

That's all I got...for now. :]

#poppy playtime #smiling critters #dogday #catnap #kickinchicken #bubba bubbaphant #bobby bearhug #hoppy hopscotch #pickypiggy #craftycorn #mario party #mario party 9 #smiling critters hcs

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cars-cause-why-not · 16 days

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Cars Human AU HC #4

So back in 1980s & 1990s, Strip was best friends with Mario Andretti, Darrell Cartrip and Dale Earnhardt Sr. They had a similar friend dynamic to the one Lightning has with Cal, Bobby, Brick and Dale Jr. Although they were competitors out on the track, off-track, they were close friends and often hung out before and after races, even doing a yearly fishing trip together.

However, these four were complete idiots and had no brain cells (technically Strip was the one with the brain cell but barely used it) and were absolutely chaotic with each other.

This was because Dale Sr had no impulse control, Mario was somewhat of an instigator, Darrell was raging homosexual that didn't always think first, and Strip had no self-preservation.

The amount of dumb shit these four did is wild. They were also massive pranksters and usually got into a yearly prank war in which they pranked the shit out of each other.

How these four remained friends for 20+ years is a mystery.

Poor Roger has so many gray hairs from dealing with Strip and his gaggle of idiots, but he couldn't stop him.

There were also a couple times where Chick accidentally got roped into whatever shenanigan Strip, Darrell, Dale, and Mario were doing and had to go with it. Although 70% of that time was spent trying to keep Chick and Dale (and Darrell to a lesser extent) from killing each other (they hated each other).

I'm planning a whole series featuring these four and their shenanigans.

#pixar cars #cars fandom #humanized cars #cars human au #strip weathers #darrell cartrip #mario andretti #dale earnhardt sr #the king and his court of idiots

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ghastlyfilters · 4 months

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A DEATH FORETOLD

— “YOU PROBABLY DON’T EVEN HEAR IT WHEN IT HAPPENS, RIGHT?”

pairing; mentions of bobby baccalieri x janice soprano (turned baccalieri)

summary; tony gets a call that informs him of a great loss within his crew.

PLEASE DON’T READ IF MENTIONS OF DEATH, GRIEF AND VIOLENCE AFFECTS OR DISTURBS YOU IN ANY WAY.

note; (haven’t written in a while but DAMN. this is a bit of a short one y’all, but still has deep meaning to it. takes place whilst the gang war between new york and new jersey is going on)

MASTERLIST

Tony swiftly drove his Nissan Xterra around a corner of the Jersey roads. His mind was filled with complete dread. Fuckin’ Phil. No one, not a soul had any idea where Phil had fucked off to after the failed hit.

But Tony knew one thing was coming.

War.

His phone began to ring, and he groaned, pulling in across the street from some toy store looking place. He could see posters of model trains on the windows. Tony chuckled a little, immediately thinking of Bobby.

“Hello?” Tony said, answering the call.

Paulie was on the other line. “T, where are you?”

“Near that fuckin’ toy place, Trainland. You know, the one our Bobby goes down to.”

There was a slight pause, the silence on the other end of the line became deafening. Tony was starting to grow confused, and a little impatient.

“Paulie?”

Tony could hear him sigh. “Yeah.. yeah i’m here, T. But.. I got some.. well… news.”

“What’s the matter?” Tony replied, his brows knitting together with confusion.

“You.. you said you were by that train store, right?” Paulie gulped.

Tony glanced over, thinking for a split second he could see Bobby’s car in the parking lot. He pulled back, answering Paulie’s question.

“Yeah?”

“Tone.. I don’t even fuckin’ know how to tell ya this..” Paulie’s voice had a hint of sadness to it, making Tony even more anxious.

“What the fuck’s going on, Paulie?”

There was a sigh again. “It’s Bobby. Fuckin’ Phil’s guys. They.. they got him...”

“Got him?”

Paulie voice came out nothing far from an almost silent whisper.

“He’s dead, T.”

Tony’s mind began to wander off, barely taking in what Paulie had just told him. His finger clicked the button to end the call.

He slowly came back to reality, glancing over at the train store again. This time, an ambulance had pulled up, and he saw a body bag being put into the back of it.

The car being identical to Bobby’s.. the fuckin’ body.. now… now he knew.

“Fuck. AW, FUCK!” Tony shouted angrily, repeatedly hitting the steering wheel in pure rage.

He felt as though his whole body was taking an actual permanent pause. Phil had started this war with a bang. No warning. Now his guys were paying the price.

________________

Tony’s footsteps were heavy as him, Meadow and Carmela entered the lounge of Janice and Bobby’s home. He could barely look his sister in the eyes after this. He knew him and Janice definitely had their differences, but this man had just practically been ripped from her.

He could see Bobby Jr and Sophia sitting on the couch across from Janice. Their faces were blank, numb, and by god Tony felt it.

Carmela and Meadow walked closer towards where Janice was sat, a hanky in her hand.

“Oh my god..” she whispered. “Oh my god.”

Tony turned around as he heard little footsteps tip toe towards the front door. It was his niece. Nica. She walked over to the door, but instead of standing, she just sat down, legs in a basket.

She turned around to look at them all, that pure look of innocence danced in her eyes, making Tony wince. “I’m waiting for Daddy.”

Tony squeezed his eyes shut as Janice’s sobs started to fill the air. He paced anxiously, and headed for the back door.

“Tony..” Carmela quietly called out.

“I’ll be back.” Tony said.

________________

Hours later, Tony sank into the softness of the mattress he sat on. The guys had to stay here for the night. Precautions were a big priority right now.

Carmela and the kids were somewhere else. And Tony had made sure there was no chance of them being touched. He’d imagined Janice would be in bed by this point, the other side missing a grave touch to their lives.

Bobby.

There was a soft knock at Tony’s door, and he called out for whoever it was to come in. Nobody else was in apart from Paulie and a few of the other guys.

Paulie peeked his head in, giving Tony a small smile.

“You gonna be okay, skip?”

The corners of Tony’s mouth twitched upward, signalling a smile back. “I’ll be fine. Go. Get a little bit of sleep in ya. We’re on the move first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Got it boss.” Paulie said firmly.

Tony began to grind his teeth as he thought what he was about to say. “Hey, Paulie?”

“Mm?”

Tony looked up at him again. “We’ve been through tough shit. But you and I, we’ve played the game. We’re fuckin’ soldiers. We’ll manage.”

Paulie gave him a nod. “Night, T.”

He shut the door behind him, leaving only Tony and his thoughts in the room.

There was a case on the floor, and he knew what it was. He picked it up, taking out what was inside.

The AR-10 assault rifle was heavy as Tony began to unravel the packaging he’d left it in inside the case. He smiled a bit, remembering the first day he’d got this bad boy.

“The AR-10? That’s my birthday present to you.”

“Thanks, Bobby.”

He sighed, bringing it closer to him. Another memory popped into his head. A saying he knew he’d never forget. Whether it haunted him, or just stuck with him in remembrance.

“You probably don’t even hear it when it happens, right?”

Tony’s smile faded as he thought about the tragedies he’d dealt with today. What disturbed him more is he’d heard how many times Bobby was shot by Phil’s guys. Apparently the bastards never stopped.

He did hear it when it happened.

His relationship with his brother in law was sure as hell complicated, but Tony had long ago came to the realisation that no matter what he did, he couldn’t hate the guy.

He was the strong silent type, what Tony wanted to be. Fuckin’ Gary Cooper.

Tony lay down and securely placed the gun on top of him. His head was stuck in memory lane, but he wished the circumstances tonight would have been different.

He chuckled to himself, thinking about this life, the death, the sacrifices, everything.

This life was the life he chose. The life that got him here today.

“No risk, no reward.”

#the sopranos #tony soprano #fanfic #bobby baccalieri #bobby bacala #hbo the sopranos #writing #sad fic #janice soprano #carmela soprano #meadow soprano #paulie gualtieri #james gandolfini #steven schirripa #tony sirico #fics #my fics #ghastlyfilters #blue comet

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thekoopalingsandstuffs · 9 days

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I know youve done hc voices before but who are the...actual people you hc? (not the chartoon caracter but who voices them)

Ah, yeah, I know what you mean!!

(I'll only show characters who have appeared in a voices video before so I'm not spoiling any future stuff! When I post future videos, I'll reblog this post with more credits!!)

P.S. I have the Parents HC Voices Video scheduled for this Friday!!!

Comment if you know/are fans of any of these people!!! :D

Jr: Leander Lewis (Baby Stolas Goetia, Helluva Boss)

Lemmy: Kwesi Boakye* (Darwin Waterson, The Amazing World of Gumball)

Larry: Jacob Hopkins* (Gumball Waterson, The Amazing World of Gumball)

Morton: H. Michael Croner (J.P., Craig of the Creek)

Wendy: Novie Edwards (Leshawna, Total Drama Island)

Iggy: Weird Al Yankovic (Milo, Milo Murphy's Law)

Ludwig: Bobby Moynihan (Panda, We Bare Bears)

Roy: Eric Edelstein (Grizz, We Bare Bears)

Peasley: Georden Whitman* (Preston Goodplay, Camp Camp)

Motley: Kristen Schaal (Mabel Prines, Gravity Falls)

Topper: Richard Horvitz (Crimson/Moxxie Knolastname, Helluva Boss)

Hariet: Emilie-Claire Barlow (Courtney, Total Drama Island)

Rango: Ben Brainard (Texas [And most of the other states], The Table)

Spewart: Miles Luna (David, Camp Camp)

Plessie: Christina Pucelli (Luan Loud, The Loud House)

Pom: Annick Obonsawin (Total Drama World Tour)

*The character is voiced by different people over time

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kylesvariouslistsandstuff · 9 months

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"I miss the artier, experimental older days of Pixar!"

You mean when... They were just a small bunch of computer nerds - including an ex-Disney guy who left during the studio's stagnating years - in the Bay Area making weird and experimental little CG short films? *That* Pixar?

All joking aside, I love the apparent simplicity of the first four shorts made during this era of Pixar. Right after being spun off from Lucasfilm (formerly, they were known as the Graphics Group), right after Steve Jobs bought them for $5 million in early 1986... An era where they were not only playing with the technology, trying to see what computer-generated imagery could achieve in the realm of classic-style character animation and anthropomorphization, but also an era where they were making films that you weren't seeing in mainstream animation at the time.

It's often written that the 1970s and the majority of the 1980s were such a dire time for American animation, and while it was far from perfect, these kinds of quick reductive statements brush over a WHOLE ERA of experimental and underground work that was happening in the background. Where few were noticing it. A body of work that was bubbling under the surface, and it finally came to a boil when it broke into the mainstream, helping make the 2nd Golden Age of Animation the monolith era that it was... A field that early Pixar arguably was once part of, when their work was playing at places like SIGGRAPH and not in front of millions of eyeballs.

Whether it's the use of freeform jazz music in LUXO JR., or the surrealism and melancholy of RED'S DREAM, the kaiju-like juxtaposition of a toy and a baby in TIN TOY, or Bobby McFerrin's accappella in KNICK KNACK, there's something quite offbeat about these early John Lasseter-directed shorts... They're silent, yes, but there's a lyrical quality to them as well, that channel more early Disney than the talky screenplay-driven storytelling of the majority of their feature films.

Heck, one can mount a whole argument that Pixar stomped that all out after signing a feature film deal with The Walt Disney Company in 1991... And that they traded this kind of pseudo-avant garde experimentation for 80-minute Disney movies... Like TOY STORY, like A BUG'S LIFE, etc. etc. They went too mainstream, mannnn.

Of course, I don't think that at all. At least, not in such simplistic terms... But I do feel that there is some kind of truth to that sentiment, though some of the beloved Pixar feature films do - I feel - preserve some that early short film weirdness. At least one short made after the release of TOY STORY, such as 1997's GERI'S GAME, still did this kind of thing. A lot of the post-TOY STORY shorts are more just cute and fun than anything else, sometimes conventionally emotional and personal but in a small bite. SparkShorts kinda kept those weird-era quirks alive, I'd say. But barely.

In other words, whenever very-online people grouse about how Pixar has lost its touch or whatever... Whether it was during the early 2010s (CARS 2-to-MONSTERS U era) or now, I think back to these early shorts... This whole myth that Pixar was some arthouse studio above the rest, when I don't think that was ever true. At least, not with the features. TOY STORY was a blockbuster from the get-go, and the studio hadn't seen a financial failure until 20 years later (THE GOOD DINOSAUR). Some of the films made by their more esteemed directors, the ones that were allowed by leader John Lasseter to do what they wanted, did wear some experimental ideas and themes, yes? That halcyon magical stretch of movies; RATATOUILLE, WALL-E, UP, ya know? But even those movies are still quite conventional at the end of the day. WALL-E, for example, would've truly been an "arthouse"-style movie if it had stayed silent the whole time or if the space stuff was less "save the world". Like, it's very conventional and quite audience-friendly I'd argue. It ain't FANTASIA or BAMBI, that's for sure. I still really love that movie, but you catch my drift, right?

I feel the majority of Pixar's pre-2010s movies came out at a time when critics didn't find much to chew on with other animated movies, "other" animated movies that kids took with them into the future and have turned into cult classics. The likes of TITAN A.E. and ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE and THE ROAD TO EL DORADO and such. So, to them and several online movie "experts", the Pixar movies looked like the gold standard. Or even the only game in town. Which made the reveal that they were a studio just like any other movie production company... Very shocking!

But really, this idea that they were a mesh of arthouse-meets-commercial in the late 2000s, with RATATOUILLE, WALL-E, UP, etc.... And that they threw that all away and started sucking? I think it's bunk. You want "arthouse" Pixar? The early shorts are that.

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dustedmagazine · 9 months

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Guided by Voices — Welshpool Frillies (Guided by Voices Inc.)

Welshpool Frillies by Guided By Voices

Welshpool Frillies is the second Guided by Voice album of 2023. Perhaps more importantly, it’s the first of Pollard’s live post-pandemic discs, recorded as all GBV albums are meant to be, live in a room with five grizzled vets rocking out. And so while La La Land entertained itself with baroque complexities (said I, “Brash, fuzzy guitar riffs collide with twining, folk-derived modal melodies, sure, just like always, but the song structures are more complicated and open-ended than you remember from Isolation Drills.”). Welshpool Frillies digs right back into the basics. It slaps in the most elemental way, on clanging power chords and thumping rhythms and Pollard’s bright absurdities cranked to top volume.

It starts in jagged power pop with “Meet the Star,” whose riff rubs back and forth like flint on tinder, conjuring the fire with pure friction. From this swaggering heaviness floats weightless melody, lines that curve upward like balloons let off their strings. “Meet the star/ his plectrum strums/a universal web,” Pollard croons, both enmeshed in and separate from the roiling noise. The tune is crushingly heavy and confectionary at the same time.

This is the same band that Pollard has marshalled for the last string of albums, Doug Gillard and Bobby Bare Jr. on guitar, Mark Shue on bass and Kevin March on drums. They are lifers to a man, with skills burned in deep enough and over a long enough period to seem effortless. The sound is monolithically tight, but unpremeditated and fluid, the kind of sound you get when everyone hits their marks the first time (and every time).

I like “Rust Belt Boogie” maybe the best, its rupturing, continuous explosion of drums, its layered anarchy of three guitars and bass, its wide angle, kraut-rock-ish propulsion. It zooms like an old t-bird over flat midwestern highways. There are plenty of bangers, but also the jangly lyricism of “Chain Dance,” which has a bit of “Awful Bliss” in its loose-stringed melancholy. And “Seedling,” the single, is good too, circling around a descending riff before it settles into rolling forward motion. Here in the chorus, the band joins together for a little bit in rough, triumphant unison, and while it’s always good to hear Guided by Voices, in whatever circumstances, it is especially great to hear them together, all in the same room, once again.

Jennifer Kelly

#guided by voices #welshpool frillies #jennifer kelly #albumreview #dusted magazine #rock #lo-fi #indie #ohio

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blondeheroine · 1 year

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Marilyn Monroe Told Joe DiMaggio Someone Was Going to "Do Her In," a New Book Alleges

The baseball star never forgave Frank Sinatra for introducing her to the Kennedys.

Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio tied the knot at San Francisco City Hall on January 14, 1954, barely two years after DiMaggio asked a friend to set him up on a date with the blonde bombshell. The marriage was short-lived: it ended nine months later with Monroe citing DiMaggio's "mental cruelty" in her filing.

There we rumors that their divorce was the result of DiMaggio not wanting to take a back seat to his wife's fame, but a new book claims the split happened because Monroe couldn't have children. DiMaggio had a son, Joe Jr., from his first marriage to actress Dorothy Arnold, but wanted a family with his new wife, according to the biography Dinner with DiMaggio: Memories of an American Hero co-authored by brothers John Positano and Dr. Rock Positano.

"Joe wanted kids with Marilyn, and Marilyn wanted to reward him with a family," the book reads. "In Italian terms, sex meant kids. Great sex meant great kids. Marilyn gave goddess sex, but no kids."

Dr. Positano first met DiMaggio while treating him for an old heel spur injury, People reports. Their friendship formed over dinner at various New York City restaurants.

Monroe and DiMaggio on the beach in Florida.

However, the dissolution of their marriage didn't stop DiMaggio from caring about Monroe, who was 12 years his junior. In 1961, when the end of Monroe's four-year marriage to playwright Arthur Miller left her feeling "emotionally fragile," DiMaggio picked up the pieces. He secured her release from a psychiatric clinic, according to History.com, and whisked her away for some R&R at the Yankees' spring training camp in Florida.

"He felt that she was very vulnerable and very sweet and that it was very easy for people to take advantage of her," Dr. Positano told People.

DiMaggio cared for his former wife so much, in fact, that he never forgave his friend Frank Sinatra for introducing her to the Kennedy family. Monroe was coping with depression and drug addiction around the time rumors about affairs with John F. Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy began circulating.

"The understanding was that her involvement with Mr. Sinatra and the Kennedy clan put her in a position where maybe it wasn't good for her mental health or her emotional health," said Positano. "[DiMaggio] didn't think they were good people for her to be around."

Monroe's death at age 36 in August 1962, just 17 months after her psychiatric treatment, was ruled a "probable suicide." But Positano claims the actress had told DiMaggio someone was going to "do her in."

"'The whole lot of Kennedys were lady-killers,'" DiMaggio told Positano, according to the book, "'and they always got away with it. They'll be getting away with it a hundred years from now.'")li

"I always knew who killed her, but I didn't want to start a revolution in this country," DiMaggio allegedly told Positano. "I'll go to the grave regretting and blaming myself for what happened to her."

The baseball star, whom the book says Monroe loved to the end, is the one who arranged her funeral. He sent roses to her Los Angeles grave every week until his death in 1999. His last dying words were, purportedly, "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."

#marilyn monroe #marilyn monroe blog #blondeheroine #old hollywood #black and white #blonde heroine #documentary #death mention

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nix-whythisfilm · 1 year

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15 Fantasy-based shows that I would recommend to anyone interested

As a hardcore fantasy buff, I cannot remember the number of Fantasy shows, movies and books that I have hoarded through the past two decades. The shows range from a variety of genres, but they all have some levels of fantasy fiction in them. Do let me know your thoughts in the comments!

The Witcher (2019)

The show is based on the books and the video games, unclear which inspired the other, written prominently by Andrzej Sapkowski and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. The first season was directed and played out in a haphazard style that kept the suspense going, inspired by Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. This high fantasy show is set in a pre-technology era with magic, magical creatures and plenty of violence. The show stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia for the first two seasons, with news of a changed actor in the coming seasons. The witcher has numerous perspectives that make it a compelling watch, along with the complex issues of that time addressed independently with the heart of the story being steady.

Having watched it belatedly, I found the direction of the first season mind-blowing, the details brought into the screen, and the storyline finally making sense with each episode. The characters are shown various levels of growth and evolution throughout the two seasons and so many little things that we can hook into. Not wanting to spoil much of the show for potential audiences, I would safely say it is a strict adult show but has numerous life instances shown that makes it one hell of a watch. Do look out for the ladies of the show who are all stunning and leave you wanting to see more strong female leads!

The Shadowhunters (2016)

Again, this is another show based on the book series The Mortal Instruments, written by Cassandra Clare. As someone who hoards her books, I was deeply upset about the show. But once I read up on why the show ended up that way, it made sense. The show was juggled around by channels a lot, with each season being directed by different people, but the story as a whole was approved by the author.

So as someone who read the books and then watched this show, I would say that the show can be viewed as an alternate reality of what was in the books. And as someone watching the show with no prior bias or idea about the Shadow world, it is a good watch. The show has vampires, werewolves, demons, mentions of angels, and especially angelic warriors. The main character is pretty stereotypical, but the others absolutely steal the limelight as the story progresses. Though it is not accurate to the books, the characters have been woven very well to not disappoint about the show's end. As a special mention, Harry Shum Jr. was an absolute stud in the show, as was his character in the books.

Stranger Things (2016)

As a running show in 2022, this show had an elaborate fanbase for the various trends in America over those years that have been very neatly captured though it is unrelated to the main story. The story involves a missing boy in the first story, with the following seasons covering for the various repercussions that come after that first season. While the show has no touch of modernity and is very era specific with everything, it is set in a small town facing so many things that it was not meant to. With numerous characters, all teenage and those who act their age, the show's fantasy foundation is based on Dungeons and Dragons.

As someone who watched the show only this year, I deeply regret not having watched it earlier. It had an excellent storyline, genuine characters and sensational direction by the Duffer brothers. This show felt like a throwback after the many shows I have watched, with it being old-school style. With so many characters barely in their teen years, the performance on screen is astonishing and unimaginable bearing in mind the storyline of the show. With Millie Bobby Brown as one of the main characters, this show is a strong recommendation.

Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

This show has been all over the internet since it began and the fandom brought together fans from every possible age. The merch is everywhere, and the drama about the last season was everywhere too. And as someone who mostly watched completed series to avoid the anxiety of waiting for the next episode, this show was a lot. It spanned nearly a decade, and we can see the growth and the decline of some significant characters in the show. The unprecedented fantasy element in this show was the dragons, tree spirits and the main antagonist, the night king.

Is the show as good as the hype? In my opinion, absolutely. The story is so well written with such requisite considerate details for each individual in the story. George RR Martin's story was followed as closely as possible till the second season, however, the following seasons were shot with the novels as a whole rather than one novel per season. I believe that the reason most people were upset by the end of the show was that the story was given an outline by the writer, but written by different directors. While stories have been continued by different people in many instances, the ending felt like it went in an inexplicable direction, considering that the story was built with high expectations of a climax. In all honesty, the show spoke of a lot of things, but something that changed it for me was the amount of nudity. Unexpectedly, it did not seem vulgar after some time, as people like to assume but rather normalized bodies of every kind and did not discriminate against people in general. It even helped my body dysphoria and made me feel human.

Teen Wolf (2011)

The show is old news, I know. It was such gossip for a long time about being a chick show with mainly teen girls watching it for the good-looking guys as some of the main characters. Does this rumour have substance? Yes, it comprises some good-looking actors focussed on the previous era's standards for beauty and trends. But is it baseless and unentertaining? Lord no. It was such a surprise when I watched the show, that issues far more advanced from that time were normalised, and that it was not mentioned anywhere. It speaks of family relationships, friendships, and the importance of trust and diversity. And for once, the characters that were homosexual were not used for queer baiting.

The humour was my favourite bit of the show, and it rarely had any toxic positivity or toxic relationships. The show had genuine characters who were not brought in for the plot and then ripped off; they even had a credible plotline with varieties of antagonists. The characters were not specifically black or white. The fantasy elements were werewolves (obviously), mutated versions of other transforming creatures, banshees, dryads, kitsunes, and so many more. Thankfully it had no vampires because I cannot fathom how they would fit into this show. Honestly, this would be a 10/10 show, with no regrets of watching it after finishing the series.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)

Honestly, this is a highly adult-rated show, not just for the explicit scenes and heavy gore, but also for the questionable morality shown throughout the seasons. I don't refrain from much, but this show was dark and pretty explicit in terms of violence both physical and mental. The plotline seems simple and apparent in the first few seasons, but if we pay attention, it speaks of many things. The show deeply spoke of family relationships, attributes of trust and how most societies work. They're not simple, but they can be functional. The fantasy elements are highly based on satanic beliefs with witches, demons, angelic believers, eldrich terrors and more.

The show was different for me but also familiar. It is attached to the Archiverse and has mentions of Riverdale, with this show set in Greendale. The story has its uniqueness of the main character being half-witch and half-human. It was interesting how all the characters were inherently petty and childish but were also mature and deeply self-aware. There are innumerable instances of redemption and many morally grey arguments. P.S. the black cat was my favourite character.

Shadow and Bone (2021)

This series too was based on a book series Grishaverse written by Leigh Bardugo and is very well directed. The show stars Ben Barnes and numerous actors who have done excellent work in the first season. The second season is yet to come out, but the cinematography is beyond imagination. Often, people who read books feel that the show wasn't as good, but then the characters might be up to it, but the CGI is a letdown. But this show has a CGI enough to compete with The Witcher. The characters are varied, with one society being excessively civilized in a pretentious form of government, and the other is chaotic but thriving for hustlers. And when they all come undone, the characters work to find their place.

The book, when I attempted to read was extremely challenging. In truth, it was a little everywhere and made little sense when I tried the first few chapters. While the show is much quicker, the confusion is evident in the series as well in the beginning. The show, in a change of pattern, inspired me to read the book series. It also showed elitist attitudes, racism and discrimination very well. The roots of the show give an aura of being set in Russia. The characters are challenged with their belief system, which I liked because that is something about the youth years that is rarely highlighted in many shows, morality and personal values.

The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)

Telecast a little over half a decade, this show became news due to the never-ending drama and the wave of memes it brought on that still runs. The show prominently has three prominent characters-Elena Gilbert, Damon and Stefan Salvatore. Yet another show based on books, the series was ten times better than the books. Does it have a lot of drama? Yes, but the story gets more nuanced and actually interesting after the first few episodes. The drama never ends, but it has substance and even gets entertaining after a point. And for the people who like drama, this show is a gold mine. The fantasy elements don't stop with vampires and werewolves but also have witches, hybrids, sirens, and psychics.

It's a lot, and not for the light-hearted, to go through all the seasons and still have the interest to watch through the sequel series. But for people who are into series and long-standing shows, it unquestionably gives you something to hold on to. As someone who read the books, about three series written by the original author L. J. Smith. The books were widely different from the show but had most of the same characters in the show. The book began to irk when there were endless deaths yet they kept coming back to life through ridiculous circumstances. The show, however, made it a little more credible, even though it is highly fiction.

The Originals (2013)

Aired over half a decade this show is a sequel to the Vampire Diaries. It has continuation stories of characters initially antagonists in the previous show, featuring mainly the Mikaelson family. It has pretty much the same fantasy elements but also covers some more nuances into the witch world, exploring nature spirits and more. This show is more into the detailed family drama of this complex family and doesn't require having watched the vampire diaries. While the show is much drama, it also has a lot of violence with the main character being extremely questionable with his morality.

In some ways, I liked this show way more than the Vampire Diaries, considering how it was not based on characters surviving in high school with ridiculous supernatural challenges. While watching the vampire diaries is entertaining, this show had many contradicting core values that stuck. Their values and beliefs on what a family is and the constant struggles they face together. But the evolution of the main characters was the palpable part of the show, which became much more evident and intriguing. A little spoiler, with some of the main characters being centuries-old vampires, the perspectives are always gripping and plausible.

The Legacies (2018)

Another sequel to the series, this series is a direct sequel to the Originals. While the plot is based on teenagers in an unusual school for supernatural folk and people of this decade. The characters are direct descendants of the previous two shows, so fair warning to not watch this before those two if you like no spoilers. This show is quite different compared to those two, with a different pace and drama. But it does have a ridiculous amount of fantasy characters. This show decided to bring in the history of nearly every myth possible and question its reality. While the storyline is questionable with so much going on for the new audience, the base stays constant while connecting to people who watched it after watching the prequels.

While this was a completely different scene from the intense prequel shows, it covered a lot of good current issues in the series that were not given much importance in the previous shows. The importance of mental health is given a huge priority in this show, with various characters facing so many issues and taking it positively that they require professional help. The ending of the enormously lengthy story was a little questionable but as someone with a penchant for fantasy, this show covered a wide spectrum from greek muses to gargoyles. It was wild, but it was given a full circle ending with so many plots that began through all the previous seasons and shows.

The Wheel of Time (2021)

Having just finished watching this show, I am still in awe at how spectacular the show is and cannot wait for the following seasons. Based on the books written nearly three decades ago, the series is mind-blowing having the characters woven so neatly (pun intended). The show is based on magic and involves the fight against darkness. It is a classic storyline, light against the dark, but the interesting facet is that magic users are only allowed to be women. Something magnificent was the way the music albums were made for this series. Sure, many shows make music for the show specifically, but this show has music that feels like music for the soul of the story. The cinematography also has graphics of such detail and beauty whenever magic is shown on screen.

Something I deeply liked in this show was the characters and the music which synced with it. The way their fates are all intertwined is fascinating to watch through the episodes, and it is understandable how they closely depended on each other with their various backgrounds. The colours and architecture in the show are beautiful beyond imagination, and the story is quite compelling. It has chosen one trope that seems cliche, but it also has things in the story that are not cliche, and bonds that are heart-wrenching.

Merlin (2008)

It is an old show, and the fantasy elements are a little over the head, but it is a long and tedious watch that is worth it. It's a one-time watch, especially if you want to watch something half distracting and half interesting. While there are many versions of the story of King Arthur, Merlin and Morgana, this show gave a plausible story in a way the story came together. The show starts with the characters all in their youth, new to each other and not having known each other. There are classic English fantasy elements in the series that are dragons, magicians, dryads, and nature spirits.

It was taxing in the beginning, with it being an old show and particularly slow-paced. But once I adjusted to the pace, the show was good. It was thorough with the plot, all the characters are given a detailed perspective and storyline and have very old-school story narration. Though personally, I believe some of the characters were signed off unfairly, the show went in an unexpected direction after a point. It was not until after I finished the show that I missed its familiarity, its antique theme music, and the slow life that is shown on the show. We rarely see any shows today that are slow as a whole. Something I have repeated but will say again is that the old-school characters and the lack of toxicity in their personal lives and twisted relationships are very light and good for the heart and mind.

Wanda Vision (2021)

As a huge Marvel fan, this show was my first watch of this era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is the story of Wanda Maximoff after the events of Avengers: Endgame. It begins off-key and makes no sense in the beginning as to why the narrative is as it is going. But as someone who has been into Marvel for over a decade now, I cannot guarantee what this show looks like to people who have no idea about Marvel and the main character. But then again, a lot of the background is given in bits to the story. The fantasy and CGI are mindblowing with the entire power play that comes into focus at the end of the show. While the show is mostly fiction and fantasy, it has a lot of science fiction as the basis.

While I have my prejudice against the characters in the fandom from previous movies, Wanda was a personal favourite with the potential her character has in the comics. Her fashion sense stuck with me, and so did her spirit. With the number of tragedies in her life, this show gave a lot more perspective into her story than any previous movies could have. She was a strong woman, and I significantly looked up to her.

Loki (2021)

This was one of the few shows on Marvel that was more mythology and fantasy than science fiction. While there is plenty of science fiction in the show, Loki was one of the favoured antagonists in the fandom, with many who admired him for his never-tiring spirit and mischief. He was the God of Mischief in Viking mythology but also someone with an explanation of his existence in science fiction. The story moves in a direction that no one predicted him in, where he gets incriminated as a criminal by the time authorities. It is a fascinating narrative for him to be in the situation that he is in. With not much that can be said without spoiling the show, I will say that it is witty, humorous, brilliant, and thoroughly scary at the ending it leaves you with.

As someone who thought Loki was brilliant, an idiot in his circumstances for the things he wanted, but brilliant in his own style, this show was highly entertaining. The god of mischief trying to do right by the time authorities is ironic but a good watch. Does this show need any information about the Marvel Universe for new watchers? Not really, but it helps to make sense of his morality and understand his character that evolved through the eras. All the shows in Marvel Phase 4 are stunning, but this was one personal favourite.

Moon Knight (2022)

This show was entirely alien to me when I began, with no previous introduction to the characters or this supernatural universe. This show is highly based on mythological fantasy rather than science fiction, but not as fantasy based as the other shows in this list. The show stars Oscar Issac as the main character, and it is quickly revealed that he is enduring a mental health condition, which he uses to his benefit. It is set in Egyptian mythology and modern adaptations of what those myths could mean in today's world.

The show was different from anything that was previously in the MCU. It had a struggling main character, phasing in and out of his episodes and through situations. In all honesty, this show was a little above my head. Not very believable in my eyes, but a good watch nonetheless. It could be the various Egyptian mythology stories I have devoured through the years that were nearly not covered sufficiently in the show.

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sinceileftyoublog · 8 months

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GBV 40

Photo by Allison Ryder

BY JORDAN MAINZER

It's a popular wink-wink-nod-nod joke among the diehard Guided By Voices fanbase that dedicated GBV fandom is #notacult (but kind of a cult). You'd think that Robert Pollard and company were in on the joke, considering they decided to celebrate 40 years of the band's existence at a venue built by a 14-group Masonic Temple Association, which is a true story and not the name of the band's new single. As a full disclosure converted GBV head who has in the past attended Heedfest, the band's long-running fan weekend chock full of cover sets and Miller Lites, this first weekend in September absolutely felt like an extension of it, a full-on celebration of all things Guided By Voices. Celebrity superfan Paddy Considine came from overseas with his son Joe, playing a covers set at the Yellow Cab Tavern in Dayton's Oregon District. During the encore of GBV's first night at the Dayton Masonic Center, Scott Marshall (of Chavez fame), Matador Records Director of Digital, A&R Jake Whitener, and GBV manager David Newgarden presented Pollard with a "Most Valuable Lead Singer" trophy. Even Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis, normally reserved, gave the crowd a half-hearted "G! B! V!" chant during the band's opening set. Miller Lites at the venue (along with most other beer) cost a measly $6 per can, a bargain in 2023. During the second night, Pollard took a moment to thank the alcohol distributor, who may or may not have been stocking his personal cooler full of beer bottles and the once-again passed around Jose Cuervo. What's for sure is those bottles were fueling Pollard's high-kicks, 2022 busted knee be damned. Always different, always the same: It was The Fall. Is it now Guided By Voices?

Photo by Allison Ryder

Yes, the same spirit pervades GBV: In a recent beginner's guide to the band, Uproxx critic Steven Hyden described them as having "one foot in the bowling alley, and another foot in the art gallery," whether that's the band's early R.E.M.-indebted material, lo-fi golden era, Aughts arena rock attempts, or the current, arguably most prolific late-career lineup. The quartet of guitarists Doug Gillard and Bobby Bare Jr., bassist Mark Shue, and drummer Kevin March is certainly the most formidable group of instrumentalists to ever back Pollard, and his songwriting on this lineup's albums has notably embraced the proggier, more epic side of his forebears. During the band's anniversary concerts, they paid curatorial attention to these newfound favorites just as much as the "Motor Away" and "Tractor Rape Chain"s: the tempo-changing "Alex Bell", bopping "Dance of Gurus", and even absurdist poem "Razor Bug", delivered a capella by Pollard and Shue. Pollard also admitted how the band tackles the old imperfections, joking that March made sure to play all the original studio version "fuck-ups" from "My Impression Now".

But GBV also had work to do. This year so far, they've released two albums, La La Land and live-to-tape gem Welshpool Frillies, and purportedly (shocker) have two more in the can. Only this band could garner this much crowd enthusiasm by opening a four-decade celebration with the first three songs from their latest album, but when they're as good as the jagged "Meet the Star", cascading "Cruisers' Cross", and Cheap Trick-meets-Crazy Horse ripper "Romeo Surgeon", it doesn't really matter, does it? The sets in general were treated like a normal GBV marathon, featuring but not overwhelmingly dominated by their most recent output. Gillard's trademark guitars chimed through the sludgy "Seedling", while La La Land's "Queen of Spaces" offered a necessarily languid breather between "Everybody Thinks I'm a Raincloud (When I'm Not Looking)" and "Motor Away". To my pleasure, on night two, the band played La La Land closer "Pockets", a song about exactly what you think, that nonetheless exemplifies Pollard's ethos: As long as you have a sense of wonder and a penchant for songwriting, you can maintain constant creativity. Songwriting can be a daily exercise.

Built to Spill

Throughout the celebration, Pollard expressed thanks for past and present incarnations of GBV (joking that the current youngins help him up the stairs) as well as the other bands joining the celebration. The inspired lineup was a mix of 90's contemporaries (Dinosaur Jr,, Built to Spill), Dayton connections (the birthplace of Heartless Bastards' Erika Wennerstrom and Dino J.'s Lou Barlow), and new indie rock royalty (Kiwi Jr., Wednesday). Dinosaur Jr., Marshalls stacked upon Marshalls, treated the crowd to eternity-long fuzz jams heavy on their earliest albums, from "Gargoyle" and their faithful "Just Like Heaven" cover to "The Lung" and "Freak Scene". The next night, Built to Spill also offered a set with plenty of guitar solos and extended intros and codas, respectively bookending the set on the slow-burning "Stop The Show" and eternal "Carry The Zero". As for their (sort-of) cover, they chose The Halo Benders' "Virginia Reel Around the Fountain" and not Heartless Bastards' "The Mountain" since, well, the real thing had played right before them.

Heartless Bastards

Heartless Bastards are not a band you'd normally associate with 90's indie rock, though I wouldn't have expected Built to Spill bassist Melanie Radford to sing Wennerstrom's part so convincingly last time I saw BTS. Wennestrom and Martsch came out with Heartless Bastards on night two for "The Mountain", but I saw where the Texas-via-Ohio rockers fit in with the band lineup even more on other songs. Yes, their brand of blues-rock is unique, not quite punchy, certainly eschewing raw psychedelia for grooves or high and lonesome country. But while Wennerstrom's throaty singing led the hazy "Photograph", the song's instrumental outro with gorgeous guitar work snuggled beside Wednesday and Built to Spill. And the chugging back catalog highlight "Gray" came across almost like a GBV ripper with keyboards.

Kiwi Jr.

Wednesday

And then there were the up and comers. Toronto's Kiwi Jr. combined the instrumental concision of GBV with the storytelling of a band like Wednesday. They took from their three very good records, concentrating on their Sub Pop albums Cooler Returns and Chopper in their brief set, contextualizing "Maid Marian's Toast" and "The Sound of Music" (about insurance fraud and Christopher Plummer), easing the crowd into a night of clatter. Wednesday, meanwhile, was the unabashed non-GBV highlight of the entire festival, the band that converted the unfamiliar and justified those of us who have hyped them up. Their quintessential country-gaze was on full display from the moment they queued up the buzz saws of "Hot Rotten Grass Smell". "Chosen to Deserve" was the bonafide ne'er-do-well anthem, the song of the summer for the bad kids, Xandy Chelmis absolutely slaying on pedal steel. Of course, lead vocalist Karly Hartzman's drawl-cum-yodel was the perfect medium to communicate stories of people dying in Planet Fitness parking lots, getting electrocuted by your own house, and toothless men on oxygen tanks smoking cigarettes. But it was "Bull Believer" that absolutely brought the house down, tears in the eyes of people who had never heard the song before. In a rare move on a normally apolitical GBV stage, Hartzman decried the nadirs of the nation, from the return of student loan payments to the policing of Black and Brown and LGBTQ+ bodies. She invited the crowd to scream along in anger as she beckoned "Finish him!" Perhaps that's what even implored Pollard to, out of nowhere between "Twilight Campfire" and "To Keep An Area", declare, "We live in a shitty country...Everything is crooked as fuck!" It was a small moment, perhaps inconsequential, but one that really hammered down for me that after all these years, Pollard's done what he's always done: change.

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