#listen sophie has a metaphorical gun

[junimain]

I was tagged by @callmeshei to talk about some albums I’ve been listening to! Most people have been doing 9 but I listen to playlists more than albums so I’ve got 6 to talk about :)

How to be a Human Being by Glass Animals: this one is the one I’ve currently got on repeat. The sound is very glass animals which I like, and it’s an interesting concept for an album! Each song features a different character’s story, many of which are based on strangers the band had brief encounters with while on tour. The story behind “Mama’s Gun” in particular is wild and makes the song that much more interesting. A bop from beginning to end, even if the line about mayonnaise takes me out of it every time.

Puberty 2 by Mitski: I love Mitski, she’s my favourite artist, and Puberty 2 is my favourite album. I found this album after seeing one of her posts on here from when she used to have a tumblr, it was her singing A Burning Hill and she mentioned writing it at 4am the night before. Anyway, I love the album itself and I’ve listened to it hundreds of times. The varied sound of the songs, from the rough and angry to the desperately sad as well as the relatable metaphors and beautiful wordplay all contribute to how amazing this album is. I thoroughly enjoy all of mitski’s albums but this one has a special place in my heart due to the memories I have from listening to it and it being my first exposure to her music.

Look Up by The Altogether: some fun and simple acoustic guitar, but this time featuring Brian David Gilbert. Not exactly a revolutionary album but I like listening to him sing, and “Sophie” is a particularly nice listen.

Punch by Autoheart: ohohoho Autoheart. There’s something about the flow of the songs and the way the lead’s voice vacillates that scratches my brain in exactly the right way. These are the kind of songs I could loop and stare at the ceiling and before I know it the day would be over. Especially the four absolute bangers in the middle of the album, “Lent,” “Moscow,” “The Sailor Song,” and “Hungover in the City of Dust.” How do they do it

Your City Gave Me Asthma by Wilbur Soot: I don’t have much to say on the actual contents of this album except that I swear I can hear a discord notif at 1:11ish every time I listen to “I’m sorry Boris.” I only listen to this album when I’m in a sad mood… so I do hear it quite frequently lol. It was very much a first quarantine anthem alongside puberty 2! For some reason about half the time that I do put it on I end up accidentally falling asleep which I’m not mad about, I could use a good nap every now and then, thank you Wilbur for the Sad Nap soundtrack tm

Pebble Brain by Lovejoy: honestly? I don’t think I’d like lovejoy’s music if I hadn’t already been into Wilbur’s. It’s quite generic except for the ending of The Fall, and I do like that section a lot. If I was asked for music recommendations, this album wouldn’t be on my list but i do like it so I have been listening to it.

tagging @shurareblog @journal-three @chronophobica @ginsalilbattery @thechildoftwilight @confusion-bunny and anyone else who sees this that wants to do it! I need more music to listen to

#tag game

[cakeandpi]

This was meant to be a one paragraph thing but turned into a train of thought ramble so it's a little all over the place

There's a moment in the 'give me a k' job, where hardison is making the mics scream with feedback, and he hands his phone over to eliot so that eliot has a turn. Which doesn't seem like much, until you realize that in the entire episode eliot doesn't punch anyone, he doesn't play the hitter/protector at all in this one. But that moment where eliot triggers the mics to scream a second time, that is his punch.

And it's appropriately timed, as it finishes up breaking off the congressman's speech about how cheerleaders aren't "real" athletes. And this is eliot, who reminds us that these are flight attendants, not stewardesses. Eliot, whose 'evil hitter' counterpart is a woman. Eliot, who has almost definitely once dated a cheerleader and knows so much about it from just paying attention - similar to how he knows various errata about flight attendants.

And once you realize all of that, and that eliot has had to listen to this guy pretty much insult teenage girls, you know he will have wanted to hit someone. Preferably the congressman in question.

And Hardison, without missing one beat, notices it and without any comment or ribbing gives Eliot a way to do just that.

Meanwhile Nate has Eliot try to con that very same congressman. Nate, rather than giving Eliot a way to metaphorically punch someone, is asking Eliot 'what happens if you can't punch the person you want to while on the con?' Because Nate is feeling out if his team is going to be able to handle him not being there. And so he's got each member operating alone, as this is a lower stakes con where if it does go south they aren't immediately facing down guns or the mafia or being chased by racists with dogs through the woods. He knows that Eliot is solid - the man can hit and lift and grift. Eliot, out of everyone besides Sophie, is the least likely to need support.

Which is the entire problem. Hardion's weak points, Parker's weak points, even Sophie's - these are things Nate can help them learn to work around. But as Nate says of Eliot in the show's finale: "[Eliot] never need[s] anything." And because Nate can't pick out a well defined weakness on Eliot, he kind of... throws Eliot into the deep end, seeing if Eliot can change as the con changes without resorting to the hitter rolee. And he's not especially cruel about it, like he might have been if this were season three, even four. He sticks around, pushes Eliot to keep trying, but never feeding him answers.

And Eliot knows that Nate is up to something. That Nate isn't telling him something. And there's probably some suspicion in his mind that Nate might be trying to con the team. (Cue "you don't con your team" arguments back from the first season, only this time it's Nate not Sophie.) But whatever it is, con or no, Eliot can't protect the team from it if Nate keeps whatever it is a secret. So when he growls at Nate about keeping secrets, and Nate reiterates that Eliot did well - that's not just Nate trying to brush Eliot off. They're both too smart for that. That's Nate acknowledging he's being cagey while also not admitting to anything, and Eliot's face as the episode ends lets us know he got all the layers of Nate's "well done" message and Eliot is not happy about it.

#leverage

[hittcr-a]

Because of reasons, the zombie apocalypse/outbreak begins. Currently the whole team is alive. What happens day one? After one week? After one month? After the first year? Is Eliot still around after the first decade? What is he like in those snapshot moments? What has he lost? What has he gained? How has he changed or stayed the same?

this one is fun!! i’m gonna write a lil. drabble probably. gimme a sec. 

Day One: 

They all woke up, early in the morning, to sirens and a news report that was vague at best, but everyone could tell something was very wrong. They’d gathered in the back of the brew pub, smooshed together on the couches, and watched the world catch on fire in the least beautiful metaphorical way. Eliot got a call from one of his military contacts. He excused himself but not before everyone else heard from the other line someone frantically explaining that things probably weren’t going to be okay again. 

Eliot was gone for five minutes. He came back and stuffed his phone back in his pocket before folding his arms over his chest. “We got maybe two days before we’re fucked.” He paused. They’d called him in. They wanted him to help. But Eliot told them that he didn’t do that anymore. Not when he had four other, better, people to take care of. And they stared at him with wide eyes in their brick-lined home. At least that’s what it’d become since they came here. A home. 

He wet his lips and gestured with his head for them to get up and follow him. “C’mon. I got a place.” They wanted an explanation. Eliot couldn’t give it to them. Not yet. “We gotta go before things get hairier’n they already are.” A 28 hour drive lay ahead of them, with an unknown destination. 

A sense of dread had settled all to comfortably around his shoulders and it made Eliot feel like he had something in his throat. Maybe it was his stomach. “We’re gonna go. We got an hour t’ pack up an’ pile into th’ truck.” For once, Eliot was thankful for the extended cab. 

Day Seven:

The radio had cut out on the way down to Oklahoma. The journey took two days longer than they wanted it to, but the traffic was horrible and the fear that saturated not only themselves, but everyone else, was almost something you could taste in the air. Things were bad. And they were just going to get worse. Eliot didn’t say a whole lot. They didn’t ask him about the guns and knives in the back of the truck when they piled their luggage in. The things they couldn’t live without. They also didn’t ask him why he only had one bag. And a small one at that. 

Eliot stood in the kitchen. The ranch house was set up so the kitchen faced the road and the sitting room faced the large expanse of land out back. Eliot stood in the kitchen a lot. Especially in the morning. There was a gun in every room. And a grave out back. They knew better than to ask. They weren’t sure how long this place had been abandoned but it looked like Eliot had still taken good care of it. 

They turned the lights off at night. 

Day Thirty One: 

They stopped going out. Eliot had made sure that after the first time they’d gone into town and dragged someone back with them that they didn’t go into town anymore. Because he couldn’t keep them safe if they brought the enemy home. Doing raids at night was a no-no. Doing raids in the day was difficult, and Eliot had to go to do them. 

Parker stayed back a lot to watch the house. To keep them safe. Nate stayed with her. They were running on empty. Eliot knew that the horses and the crops out back wouldn’t last forever. He considered himself naive for maybe hoping that this wouldn’t be their new reality. Accepting it as such was difficult. At least for Eliot.

Day Three Hundred and Sixty Five:

They’d made it a year. They didn’t have a new calendar but Eliot had taken to keeping a journal. They were tired. Hungry. But they were safe. Everyone was safe. Sometimes groups of shuffling, rotting corpses would come through the large stretches of land and take whatever they’d managed to grow up, but as long as they didn’t make any noise and snuffed all the candles, they were fine. 

They’d lost running water a while ago, but that was okay. Eliot had mentioned mahmaw having a well and so far that was working really well for them. 

From the living room, they could watch their laundered clothes blowing in the wind out back on their clothesline. Eliot thought it was important that they have some sort of semblance of normality.  He didn’t sleep much. None of them did. Sometimes they felt like they were the last people in the world alive. Eliot was just glad that they were alive at all. Because they could be a lot less fortunate. 

Day Three Hundred and Ninety:

The day they lost Sophie and Nate was the day they nearly lost hope. 

They joined that grave out back, marked only by a couple of sticks and a pile of rocks. Parker and Hardison didn’t talk much anymore either. What was there to say? They enjoyed each other’s company. They liked to watch the road with Eliot in the kitchen, cups of crappy coffee in hand. Normalcy. Normalcy. 

It felt like they were all slipping. But there was nowhere to grab for purchase on the way down, into the madness. 

Day Five Hundred:

Eliot broke completely on the day he lost Parker and Hardison. He spent seven hours digging their graves, hands blistered, ground hard and cold and unforgiving. It was his fault they were gone, just like Nate and Sophie. He wasn’t fast enough. None of them were. They were overwhelmed and fast and that last raid had left them all fucked. He’d had to put them both down himself and they begged him too and he’d wept for the first time in a year and a half. 

He’d never been able to deny them anything. Eliot buried the gun he shot them with with Parker. He couldn’t bear to look at it again. Eliot didn’t give a shit about surviving as much, now. What was the point? He’d lost everyone. 

The sun came up, and he hated that it was still beautiful. How could it be beautiful when the world was fucked and he was alone, sitting in dewy grass next to the freshly dug graves his the two people he cared about most in the world? 

It was here he made the decision to pack up and leave. 

There was no more gas, but he’d figure it the hell out. He couldn’t stay here and live with these ghosts. 

—

I got tired, but listen. I do think Eliot could make it maybe five years after losing the team. He’d be a nomad the entire time. Meeting up with other survivors is short lived and he doesn’t like to one, trust them, and two, get attached because he knows what happens out here. I don’t know if he’d last a whole ten years, but I do know that he wouldn’t be looking for a cure because he doesn’t know how that shit works and he thinks it’s probably too late anyway. As much as he would want to give up, it’s incredibly difficult for Eliot to actually give up. He lost everything. He doesn’t talk when he does meet up with people. He’s very good at destroying zombies and he takes his job of keeping other people (if they’re good and kind and he likes them even though he tries not to) safe. He most definitely would take more risks because he doesn’t give a shit. But he does keep his ass covered. Idk. Eliot in situations like that are so good because if he’s already lost everyone he has to learn to like. Let himself feel again. Because he’s hurt real bad. 

#anon. #>> : i thought i heard something // headcanons : << #drabble. #i had a tag for zombie shit but i've forgotten it. #>> : clientele (anon) : << #>> : if you ask i'm gonna tell you (asks) : <<

[thesinglesjukebox]

SELENA GOMEZ - LOOK AT HER NOW

[5.82]

The single at least one of you requested...

Ian Mathers: I say, I am beginning to get an inkling that this song intends us to think that it is subtextually referring to one Justin Bieber! [3]

Michael Hong: Proof that a breakup track doesn't have to be forced and predictable to demonstrate confidence. Chopped background vocals, a chorus that creates euphoria through its blurred loop, and Selena Gomez twirling the production around her voice like a loose strand of hair -- it's an amalgamation of Gomez's excellent 2017 singles, and an absolute earworm. [7]

Joshua Lu: Selena Gomez's comeback singles are like a display of Julia Michaels's range as a songwriter, a dichotomy that brings to mind Revival's "Perfect" and "Hands to Myself" -- or Nervous System's "Worst In Me" and "Pink." Julia's entire mainstream career beginning in the interim does affect the song's present-day freshness. But "Look At Her Now" paves new ground as much as it retreads old styles. Flattening synths push those "Issues"-esque string plucks into the backdrop, and Selena's stutters are more rapid and more nonsensical, and thus more captivating. It's quirky, catchy, and when those background vocals come in during the second chorus, surprisingly transcendent. Sure, Julia and Selena work an awful lot together, but can you fault them when their output is still this good? [7]

Thomas Inskeep: Sleek minimalist synth-pop fits Gomez better than more traditional top 40 pop/EDM; this sounds like the next logical step after her Talking Heads-sampling critical triumph/commercial flop from a couple years ago. Then you realize that Ian Kirkpatrick produced both this and "Bad Liar," along with Dua Lipa's superb new single, and it makes more sense. Now, how do we keep Gomez in this lane and away from losers like Kygo? [7]

William John: There's an explosive song hiding in here, and you can glimpse it occasionally -- in the flash of spidery synth during the first chorus, or at the very end where it all suddenly coalesces, as if a river has turned a bend and unexpectedly encountered the ocean. But it's shielded by muffles and hums, the curse of the anti-chorus, and the kind of frustrating restraint that, for me at least, plagued "Bad Liar". [5]

Katherine St Asaph: Selena Gomez's musical style, primarily Julia Michaels-written wallflowercore, hasn't much resembled a brash, confident kiss-off since "Come and Get It," let alone a song about a relationship between two people "a little too wild for each other." So how does she pull off one of those songs when her recent tabloid narrative breakup calls for it? By removing herself as much as possible. Most obviously, "Look At Her Now" is in third person, creating the same distancing effect as "This Is What You Came For": a song less about getting over someone than gazing, awed, at a girl who has. (So make of that what you will.) Michaels' lyric skims over the drama and past the infidelities -- the second verse, in its "an incident happened, neither good nor bad"-ness, sounds kind of like carefully phrased PR from a politician caught in an affair. Gomez's vocal does the same, emoting only intermittently and swallowing lines you might expect not to be swallowed, like "oh God, when she found out!" (To be fair, the cause may be the vocal comping being... noticeable.) The confidence is delivered by other voices, literally: samples of a child's bratty taunts, some chopped, wordless (and uncredited, obviously) toasting. Gomez is trying to have it both ways: writing a confessional, singer-songwriterly track that's still EDM- and R&B-adjacent, even if it means smothering a conversational vocal in so much processing and embellishment it no longer sounds conversational, or turning over the whole chorus to anonymous somebodies-else. Still, if dreary piano ballads have a low ceiling, wistful pop songs have a high floor. [6]

Oliver Maier: The third-person narration and Gomez's hushed, reverential delivery on the verses imply some kind of profundity that the mindless, irritating anti-chorus seems hell-bent on rebuffing. Maybe that's the point, by some galaxy-brain rationale. [3]

Natasha Genet Avery: I've always staunchly defended Selena Gomez, insisting that what she lacks in talent, she makes up for with excellent taste. After hearing these "mm-mms," I guess I'll see myself out. [3]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: God bless Selena Gomez for taking words thrown together in a blender and singing them with such bluster and joy that you don't have time to think about how ridiculous they are: "Once again, I'm yours in fractions," "You and me bleed the same light," "I'm slipping down a chain reaction,""Just like the Battle of Troy, there's nothing subtle here," "I've been running through the jungle, I've been running with the wolves," "Syncopate my skin to your heart beating," "Metaphorical gin and juice," "Bowery/Whiskey neat," "You are the thunder and I am the lightning," "Your lies are bullets, your mouth's a gun," "Let the chemicals do its stuff til the energy is too much," "Taki taki," pretty much every word of "Fetish." When Selena released a new dance track, I had my fingers crossed that I might get a shiny new toy, and boy, oh boy, did she not disappoint. "MM-MM-MM-MM-MM-MM-MM-MM...WOW" is everything I could have wanted it to be and more. She's gone post-verbal, folks! [9]

Alex Clifton: I thought the "mm-mm-mm" chorus was a cop-out the first time I heard it, but it fulfills the same function as the "ba-de-yas" of "September" -- words aren't necessary when you've got a song like this. It's deservedly smug and dismissive, perfect for deflecting any shards of bad memories from the past from her current happiness. If "Lose You to Love Me" was Selena at her most vulnerable, then "Look At Her Now" builds her back up into being the dance-queen badass that I always knew she was, but with the confidence to match. [7]

Jackie Powell: Ian Kirkpatrick's Jackson Pollock-style overdubbing of Gomez's and Michaels' vocalizations during the chorus places the listener dancing in the club rather than crying, and the heavy bass synth loop on the bridge adds color that complements the vocal brightness of "she knows she'll find love." The subject matter is a blatant follow-up to the introspective "Lose You to Love Me," but the wise writing from Julia Michaels and Tranter adds substance. This is the next stage of grief. Is it acceptance? I'm not sure. But the emotional snapshot is realistic and relatable. The couplet I'm drawn to the most is in verse two, when Gomez chants "What a thing to be human/Made her more of a woman" with the utmost conviction. The way she talk-sings the word "woman" is alluring but also so sanguine. In the Sophie Muller-directed visual, it's almost as if Gomez is channeling her inner Diana Prince in the1984 Wonder Woman poster; a blast of color coupled with a metallic outfit screams Amazonian energy. Apparently this is a track for her "ride-or-dies," which I assume would include Michaels. I mean, who wouldn't want to see them as Amazon goddesses? You must be related to Ares if you don't. [7]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

#Selena Gomez #pop #music #music review #writing

[aili]

Valentine’s Day Music Newlsetter 2019!

Welcome to the 13th Music Newsletter! Short intro for the newbies - I love music. I love sharing music with other people. In college I started a "music newsletter" email with some playlists (aka mixtapes) I've made and some song/band recommendations. Why Valentine's Day? Because I think this day should be about love in many ways - including love for music!

That brings us to today. The first Valentine's Day mixtape I put together was actually a physical mix CD that I mailed to my home friends while I was away at college. That was in 2008 (11 years ago!). A lot has changed since then, but my love of music has not. While I feel sometimes too busy or too old or too out of touch to know what I'm even talking about, I hope you'll get some enjoyment out of this - as much as I've been enjoying listening to these songs and picking them for you! 

*Click here to download Valentine's Day 2019 mixtape!

Click here to play Valentine's Day 2019 on Spotify!

*Note that the file downloads as a zip file, double clicking on it to open it up should give you the individual songs. Then move the songs to iTunes into a playlist!

1.) "Happy Unhappy" - The Beths New Zealand indie rockers The Beths debut album, Future Me Hates Me, is full of catchy, energetic sad-twinged songs. This song feels like it could have come out back in the 00s when we had to find new music by reading blogs and actually downloading MP3s - it feels closer to the Garden State soundtrack era of indie than the recent moody electronic vibe. It's a lot of fun! Sounds like Courtney Barnett by way of The Wombats, with a splash of Los Campesinos.

2.) “City Looks Pretty” - Courtney Barnett Courtney’s 2018 album “Tell Me How You Really Feel” is only her second studio album, but somehow it feels like she’s been around forever. The album features a “fuller” sound and more production, which may appear dulled next to 2015’s “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.” However, I feel excited by Courtney exploring a more mature sound and think it accurately reflects the albums depressive theme. “Sometimes I get mad / it’s not all that bad” is sung with a definite apathy compared to her shout-singing past record. As the bridge settles in, Courtney captures the depression symptom of lack of interest in things you used to enjoy. The city looks pretty when you’ve been stuck inside isolated for two weeks. 3.) “Screwed” - Janelle Monáe feat. Zoë Kravitz Janelle’s 2018 album “Dirty Computer” is an anthology of songs (and truly, poetry) that tell of reckoning with being a queer woman of color in an oppressive, violent society. It’s an incredibly personal album with her fans in mind - “I want young girls, young boys, nonbinary, gay, straight, queer people who are having a hard time dealing with their sexuality, dealing with feeling ostracized or bullied for just being their unique selves, to know that I see you. This album is for you. Be proud.” (Rolling Stone, 2018). My favorite part of this song is “See, everything is sex / except sex / which is power / you know power is just sex / now ask yourself who’s screwing you.”

4.) "BAGDAD - Cap.7: Liturgia" - Rosalía 25-year-old Rosalía Vila Tobella from Catalonia has an excellent 2018 album El Mal Querer. The album combines traditional flamenco with modern R&B. The album is a story of love and heartbreak over the course of 11 chapters/songs. This particular one might sound familiar due to the sampling of Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River."

5.) "Gun" - St. Lucia St. Lucia's first release off of their 2018 album Hyperion caught my attention with its connection to a more traditional rock sound and the heavy-hitting, one-word title. The production and sound almost reminds me of Oasis or U2. Turns out that the album is indeed produced by someone who worked on records with PJ Harvey, Depeche Mode, and U2. In interviews, Jean-Philip Grobler talks about how this song is generally about both gun control and power. "You said you wanted to feel a gun in your hands" in Verse 1 transforms to "You said you wanted to feel the blood in your hands" in Verse 2, highlighting the fact that guns are designed to kill. 

6.) “Apathy” - Frankie Cosmos With a catchy bass line, gorgeous lyrics, and endearing vocals, this song and entire album are not to be missed. As you may notice on this year’s playlist, this year I was super into what I would describe as punk-influenced, low-fi indie female vocalists. Pretentious enough for you? Haha. I just mean that there are a ton of young women blowing up in the indie music scene with a huge crossover in sound. As demonstrated in “Apathy,” many of these songs are short, lack a traditional pop music format, use low-fi production, and have a storytelling aspect of almost speak-singing. These elements are all found in traditional punk music, so it’s interesting and exciting to see these artists shaking things up and challenging the punk genre. Frankie Cosmos has a long history of creating music, under various projects using Bandcamp as a teenager. Her 2018 album “Vessel” is nothing short of delightful and another one of my favorites of the year. 7.) “Your Dog” - Soccer Mommy Soccer Mommy is Sophie Allison, singer-songwriter based out of Nashville. She opened for Paramore on their recent tour and she has launched into the indie music scene with a lot of attention in the past couple years. I love how her voice clearly carries so much anger as she sings about an emotionally abusive relationship. Her lyrics describe the agony of small, sweet gestures pushing her back to her ex, despite her wanting desperately to end it. Using the metaphor of being a loyal, sub-servient dog, she describes the way her SO treats her like she’s his property. Because the song lacks a traditional “pop” format (verse 1 / chorus / verse 2 / chorus / bridge / chorus), there is a sense of the story ending unresolved. Fortunately, she has an excellent album (one of my favorites) from 2018 called “Clean” where you can learn more of her story. 8.) “Pristine” by Snail Mail A stunning debut from 19-year-old Lindsey Jordan, “Lush” is a 2018 release not to miss. “Pristine” perfectly encapsulates teenage life and love - “it just feels like the same party every weekend. Doesn’t it?” There is such a sense of genuine hormonal angst that she is almost joyfully celebrating. Her album reads more like a diary - and how lucky she is to have these future memories and be able to approach them with such wisdom.

9.) "Uncomfortably Numb" - American Football feat. Hayley Williams Paying homage to Pink Floyd, legendary emo band American Football joins with Paramore's lead singer Hayley Williams for a devastating track about losing emotional sensation. "I blame my father in my youth / Now as a father, I blame the booze." I couldn't find too much information on the exact inspiration behind the track, but it's the second track released off their upcoming album out March 22nd. Hayley is usually front and center as a singer, and it's interested to hear her take more of a backing role, as well as explore a bit of a lower vocal range than she usually does.

10.) “Geyser” - Mitski Mitski absolutely killed it last year with “Be The Cowboy,” which was consistently rated not only in the top 5 best albums, not only top 3, but making MULTIPLE end of year lists as the number one album of 2018. It’s easy to see why, given the incredible breadth of music she wrote for her album. I see Mitski's influence reflected in the rise of fame in other punk-inspired female vocalists in the indie scene, building off her ability to capture the attention of a wide audience. Which is also very interesting because she incorporated elements of many other genres on this album (spot any disco on “Nobody”?) While it was difficult to pick one song for my playlist, “Geyser” stands out to me as not only an excellent album opener, but a fascinating look into Mitski’s own relationship with the art she creates. In an interview, she explains that this song is about her feeling like she has to create music because she would never be satisfied in life without it, but feeling sometimes stifled, stuck, and resentful when she puts music above basic needs such as her health and self-care. She needs her art to survive but it simultaneously kills her.

11.) “Me & My Dog” - boygenius It’s impossible to pick just one song of this album. Boygenius is the supergroup of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker - who each could also have one of their incredible solo songs on my playlist. Partially because they enjoyed each other’s creative energies and partially as a response to constantly being compared to each other as “women in indie,” the trio came together to create an EP of emo-influenced, folk-inspired gorgeous tracks about grief, loneliness, identity, and heartbreak. This particular song features Phoebe Bridgers in the verses and is a beautiful representation of the embarrassing and frustrating feeling of being in love with an ex. Please check out the individual work of these artists too!

12.) "bless ur heart" - serpentwithfeet Serpentwithfeet, aka Josiah Wise, has a gorgeous, intimate voice throughout his 2018 debut album, soil. This song starts off with a question of how his art will be received by the world. The rest of the song is a tender message of gratitude to his first love. It seems like Josiah questioned the choice to speak about his experiences with his ex in such a public fashion - with complexities of privacy, being open about sexuality, and possible painful memories on the table. Josiah's writing is very much like poetry, and his raw, unfiltered, un-autotuned vocals match the beauty of his words.

13.) "Bury A Friend" - Billie Eilish 17-year-old Billie Eilish is set to release her debut album, When We Sleep, Where Do We Go? next month. This song matches her goth aesthetic with a creepy story from the perspective of the monster under the bed. We learn that the monster is part of Billie herself, who is struggling with her own demons. 14.) "Loading Zones" - Kurt Vile A gorgeous guitar track, Kurt Vile paints a picture of his hometown Philadelphia and feeling on top of the world exploring his city's streets. He included a hilarious marketing strategy of sending fake parking tickets to fans in the mail to promote the song. Kurt Vile talks about the metaphor of "I park for free," which is how he sometimes lives his life - breaking the dumb rules because it's his life, his streets, his town. 15.) "Dylan Thomas" - Better Oblivion Community Center Is it possible to already be nostalgic for the late 2000's? Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers released this surprise collaboration last month and this is the standout track for me. Conor Oberst's incredibly recognizable voice is hard to match in terms of strength, timbre, and uniqueness. While Bridgers is young enough to be from a different generation than him (she also grew up listening to Oberst's music), he saw something in her that resonated with him. I love how they sing in unison on this track (and much of the album) and think their voices sound really good together.

16.) "Butterflies" - Kacey Musgraves Kacey Musgraves is bringing a breath of fresh air to country. After self-releasing three albums, she tried her hand at reality TV through Nashville Star over a decade ago. Golden Hour is her fourth album using a record label, and she just won Album of the Year at the Grammys! Her voice is beautiful and has an earnest, authentic approach in joining elements of country pop. 

17.) “Prior Things” - Hop Along “Bark Your Head Off, Dog” is Hop Along’s third album, released in 2018. Singer/songwriter Frances Quinlan has the ability to transform the themes of her songs. Layered with a multitude of different sounds and instruments, it could easily sound scattered and busy, but instead feels like we are huddled around a campfire with an enthusiastic, stream-of-consciousnesses storyteller. “Prior Thing” is the last song on the album and crosses time, space, and memories with the start of a hallucinogenic drug trip. She has the ability to take a phrase and transform the expected - pausing or elongating notes at unexpected places. This method keeps you invested in figuring out what the song is really about or what the conclusion is. 18.) "Kids" - Pup Emo/pop punkers Pup have a new album Morbid Stuff coming out on April 5th. Their songs are made for live shows - shouting/singing alternates, sing-a-long catchy lyrics reminiscent of the Hold Steady, and unison whole-band lines. Pup frontman Stefan Babcock said this song is about finding someone who agrees with your view of the world being a fucked up place, and enjoying small moments of solace in spending time with them. 

SPOTIFY

Don't forget to subscribe to my playlists on Spotify! Here is the link to listen to this year's mixtape on Spotify.

I try to add new songs at least once a week to this playlist: What I'm currently lovin' (updated freq)

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I hope you guys enjoy the new music and feel free to send me recommendations of anything you like!<3 aili

Previous Mixtapes:

Autumn Love mix | Autumn Love Spotify

Copenhagen mix | Copenhagen Spotify

Valentine's Day downbeat 2010

Valentine's Day upbeat 2010

Valentine's Day 2011

Philadelphia mix | Philadephia Spotify

New Crime mix | New Crime Spotify

The City mix | The City Spotify

Drive mix | Drive Spotify

Valentine's Day 2012 | VDay 2012 Spotify

King's Myth mix | King's Myth Spotify

Hold On mix | Hold On Spotify

Valentine's Day 2013 | Vday 2013 Spotify

Valentine's Day 2014 | Vday 2014 Spotify

Valentine's Day 2015 | Vday 2015 Spotify

Valentine's Day 2016 | Vday 2016 Spotify

Valentine's Day 2017| Vday 2017 Spotify

Valentine's Day 2018 | Vday 2018 Spotify

#music #music newsletter #valentine's day #the beths #pup #hop along #Courtney Barnett #janelle monae #rosalia #st. lucia #frankie cosmos #soccer mommy #snail mail #american football #mitski #boygenius #serpentwithfeet #billie eilish #kurt vile #better oblivion community center #kacey musgraves

[tonguetiedmag]

Weekly Roundup: Our Favorite Submissions of the Week

loaded gun - girlhouse Cathartic throughout the entirety of the track, girlhouse is back this week with her new track ‘loaded gun.’ The track debates the idea of self acceptance and forgiveness for uncontrollable events in the past. Featuring a strong base, rhythmic vocals, and a catchy chorus. The track marks the last single prior to the release of her EP premiering on May 14th. 

Bullshit - Sarvady Slowing it down a bit with this next track, Sarvady calls it like it is. A melodic and calming song, the lyrics highlight the struggles and difficulties of everyday life. The track, originally written as opposed to texting her ex, evolved into a relatable anthem that summarizes the daily struggles of many teens growing up and coming of age. The debut single is honest, raw, and powerful with emotion. 

Warning Signs - Seanii Centered around heartbreak and nostalgia, Seanii brings all the emotion with his new single ‘Warning Signs.’ An anthem of honesty, sorrow, and disappointment, he channels these vivid emotions throughout the soft notes of the piano paired with a rhythmic beat. The track displays raw and heartfelt sentiments while calling out an emotionally unavailable lover. The road to self acceptance and acknowledging one's own self worth is clearly displayed throughout the lyrics. 

123 - KiD RAiN After securing massive success on popular platform Tiktok, KiD RAiN, an upcoming pop superstar from the United Kingdom released new single ‘123.’ Featuring a catchy and classic upbeat pop sound, the lyrics and melodies are lighthearted, energetic, and guaranteed to capture your heart. His unique sound is easily displayed within this new track, and across his entire discography. Quickly on the rise, KiD RAiN is only going up and up from here. 

I Take My Plants In The Shower - Verøna  Utilizing an extended metaphor amongst an easygoing classic indie beat, producer and songwriter Verøna is back with his new single “I Take My Plants In The Shower.” Relating self help to the care provided to plants, he utilizes upbeat rhythms and memorable lyrics to discuss avoiding the negativity life throws at you. The new single is not only lyrically pleasing, but is guaranteed to be stuck in your head all day!

You’ll Never Get Me Down - mwelly Featuring a classic pop punk vibe, mwelly is back with new single “You’ll Never Get Me Down.” The track itself oozes infectious positivity, and self empowerment despite hitting rock bottom in a relationship with someone else. Serving as a self catharsis towards rebuilding oneself, “You’ll Never Get Me Down” serves as an anthem of strength and motivation despite hardship. The contagious pop punk beat is clearly displayed within the chorus, and is sure to spark happiness amongst listeners.

Star Woman - Honey Hahs Indie pop band Honey Hahs from the United Kingdom brings new single “Star Woman” with the intent of female empowerment in all forms. The indie pop trio features electronic beats amongst powerful lyrics with the intent to empower and promote infectious positivity amongst women of all backgrounds and identities. 

Right Now - Sophie and the Giants New single “Right Now” by Sophie and the Giants extrudes the emotions and catharsis that comes with frustration, and pent up anxiety surrounding being kept in. At a time when live music isn’t exactly possible, and the music industry is not the easiest of fields to launch into, Sophie has successfully taken the world by storm amidst the difficulties surrounding the global pandemic. “Right Now” puts emotions into words and describes the struggles, fears, doubts, and joy that come with her rise to fame during a difficult time. 

I Can’t Get High - Royal & The Serpent Following her massive success with hit track “Overwhelmed” that went viral on Tiktok, alt pop artist Royal & The Serpent is back with a smashing new hit titled “I Can’t Get High.” The track follows her signature mysterious style and centers around chilling vocals, mystic beats, and powerful lyrics. The boundary pushing lyrics and haunting tones set the track apart from others of its kind. With every single, Royal & The Serpent continues to define her signature style, composed of the dichotomy between good and evil. 

Listen to all these tracks on our playlist.

Curated by: April Bredael

#april bredael #weekly roundup #music #music reviews #tongue tied mag

[my-abibliophobia]

Favorite Leverage TV Quotes

(After the team finishes their first mission and gives the money away to a hospital) Nate: Anyone who wants to walk away can go right now. (Dramatic pause) Eliot: One more... Hardison: Maybe two...

Nate: (climbing into his new Tesla roadster) Just because you're the good guys now, doesn't mean you can't have a little fun along the way.

Sophie: I never thought I'd say this. Ever. But that is too much money to steal!  

Alec: I got to get back to the office. I just remembered something. Parker: What? Alec: I just remembered gravity...and the squishiness of all my manly bits. Parker: I designed this rig myself. The line is carbon-fiber, five-point harness, weight support here, here, here, auto-breaking resistance on the main pulley back here. Alec: Okay, okay, cool, so it's tested? Parker: Not yet. Alec: Not ye..? When the hell were you going to test it? Parker: (pushes Alec off the roof) Big baby.  

Parker: They changed the lock. Alec: Just do what you do. I mean, whatever, what do you need?(Parker produces a plastic explosive) Alec: No. Mm-mm. Stop all that playin'. Mm-mm. Hell, no. (runs for cover)  

Eliot: The tall one, the way he used a knife, Ex-Marine, probably force recon. Alec: You IDed the guy off his knife-fighting style? Eliot: It's a very distinctive style.

Eliot: 5.56 NATO rounds, mixed in with some 9-mils from the submachine guns. Insurgents would have used AK-47 with 7.62 ammo. Has more of a crack. Contractor shot 'em up alright. Parker: (impressed) You IDed the weapon from the gunshot sound? Eliot: It has a very distinctive sound.  

(on their money from their first job)Parker: I put all that money in a Swiss bank account. Eliot: Millions of dollars and you didn't buy anything? Parker: I don't like stuff. I like money. Sophie: I bought a little retirement home in Ireland... and Dubai... and Tokyo. Parker: What about you? Eliot: Yeah, I'm not about to tell two known thieves what I did with a multi-million dollar payout. Sophie: Don't you trust us? (laughs)

(Parker has "medicated" Grant to help shake him up) Eliot: You gave him speed? Alec: He beat up a priest. (Elliot shrugs)

(While discussing how to "steal a miracle") Hardison: Long as I don't have to do anything immoral. Nate: No not at all. I just need you to figure out how to, you know...fake a miracle. (Eliot chuckles) Hardison: (long pause) We're all going to hell.

Alec: (to Nate) You...you're a Catholic who wants to fake a miracle. I'm pretty sure that puts us in mortal-sin territory. Eliot: So what...now you're religious, too? Alec: No, I'm not denominational. It's just, I never do anything my Nana said "don't do". 

Father Paul: Nate, no more lies! The Vatican's here! You and I both know what that means. Nate: Yeah, break out the grappa. Father Paul: Does my getting defrocked amuse you? Nate: No. Listen, listen, I just...let me explain this to you, okay? I just, this is...in here. (Nate moves toward the Confessional booth) Father Paul: Oh, there's always a loophole with you. (Nate enters the booth) That's my side!

Father Paul: I'll count myself blessed and take my miracle. Nate: Ah, but there was no miracle. Father Paul: Nate, five thieves saved my church.

Nate: (sarcastically) Yeah okay, yeah. Let's go rob Nicki Masconi. A guy who kills people and lives in our city. Yeah, let's do that.

Cheryl: I have been working my butt off on this account. But Steve? No, he's just sitting back, waiting for me to fail so he can swoop in and save the day. I swear, it's like he's a rogue and I'm a mage and we're part of the same guild, but secretly, he's at work with the Alliance to undermine us. Hardison: For the Horde! Cheryl: For the Horde! You play "World of Warcraft"? Hardison: You kidding? Did you get the new expansion pack? Woman, I was up all night. Now, look, I mean, "Burning Crusade" was great, but this new one is mind-blowing. Nate: (over comm) Hardison? You bailed on the job because you were up all night playing a game? (Hardison opens a cupboard to hide himself and talk back) Hardison: (quietly) First off, "game" is hardly adequate, okay?  

Parker: (reciting to Nate things she has found searching the luggage on the plane for a bomb) ...hatbox full of Euros, pouch of blood diamonds, a stolen Stradivarius. (musing) I've never lifted one of those.

Sophie: How did you both know there would be an extra uniform in the bag? Nate: Everyone knows flight attendants are required to carry extra uniforms in case they get called to work unexpectedly. Eliot: Or if something happens to the one that they're already wearing. Sophie: How does everyone know that? Nate: Worked airport security. Eliot: Slept with a flight attendant.  

Parker: (to Hardison) What are you doing? Hardison: Oh, I'm just remote accessing a plane's electrical system from 3000 miles away. You know what? If you were a geek, you would be really turned on by this.

Eliot: (after unsuccessfully trying to wake up the hitman) When I knock people out they tend to stay knocked out.  

Parker: (referring to Nate's behavior) Is it me or is he getting creepier?  

Nate: Somebody find me a brain. Parker: Oh yeah, he's definitely getting creepier.  

Parker: (Crawling through the air duct) Looks like Parker's gonna have to crawl through the air duct again. God forbid anyone else would have to learn how to frickin' crawl on their stomach through a tiny space. It's not rocket science, people. Eliot: (On comm) Parker, you realize that we can still hear you?  

Derrick Clark: No, no cops. If they find out we contacted the police, they'd kill her. Sophie: They're not cops, I promise you. They're friends of mine, you can trust them. Derrick Clark: Why should I trust you? I don't know who you are. Sophie: I'm a thief. Derrick Clark: Okay,...I'm not sure what to do with that!  

Eliot: Let's go, man, you have it? Hardison: No, not yet. (Over comms) Sophie, we need that scene, are you finished with it yet? Sophie: It's in the box on the back of the truck. Hardison: Sophie, seriously Sophie, it was supposed to be a two page scene between Irina and a boy. Sophie: That's still the heart of it. Eliot: The heart of it? There's like ten pages here. You have a stunt? You have special effects? Parker: (takes script) Sister Magda crosses and gets a loaf of bread. Who's sister Magda? (Sophie arrives in full nun garb) Hardison: (To Eliot) Tell me you didn't see that coming.

Hardison: Woah, woah, woah. I'm getting a bunch of calls to the police. What the hell is going on down there? Eliot: I'll tell you what's going on. Parker just stabbed her guy with a fork!

Hardison: Woah, woah. I haven't slept in three days. I had a showdown with two different gangs, who, now, by the way, now know my face. I sat on a bomb. And all this could've been avoided had you gave the man a taco?

Nate: Sophie, how--how do you catch mob guys? Sophie: Uhh...two glasses of Chianti and a story about my grandma in Sicily. Nate: How does the government catch mob guys? Everyone: Taxes!

Leary: I was tricked. I was tricked! It wasn't, it wasn't me. You understand, I... Bonanno: Somebody tricked you into bringing a briefcase full of evidence of your own crime straight to the police? Come on, Mr. Leary. Nobody's that smart.

Eliot: (about Parker) She's dressed that way 'cause she's doing a con. Nate: What, you thought she was dressed like a nun for no reason? Eliot: She's Parker. Nate: Ah, fair enough.

Eliot: That's why the businesses are clean; they're dirty from the inside. Nate: Well, yeah, I mean, if you have a body in the trunk of your car, you're gonna drive under the speed limit, aren't you? Parker: You know, when you're sober, your metaphors get creepier.

Nate: Now if you'll excuse me, I am gonna go call a professional killer who tried to murder me and arrange to meet him in an isolated location.

Room Service Operator: It's chicken-fried steak. Sophie: It's what? Chicken-fried steak? Room Service Operator: Yeah. Sophie: Let me just tell you, meat should never be used as an adjective.  

Nate: Can I get this straight? Okay, you two couldn't rig a gym class and a spelling bee, and you two run into the only FBI agents on the planet that recognize you? Eliot: I gotta be honest with you, I think we broke the kid even more. Sophie: We are the worst fairy godparents in the world.

Nate: Who's that? Hardison: Oh, the kid. Kid's from her first marriage, Widmark. Eliot: I'm sorry what? Widmark? Hardison: Rich people, man.

Parker: Door alarm's got a Takashita 500 with redundant infrared. Window's easier. Alec: The window? The window that's 20 stories up? Parker: Like I said--easier.

Eliot: Hardison, we got a problem. Hardison: What kinda problem? Eliot: They're MRI'ing my pizza and their stance says ex-CIA. Hardison: You can tell somebody worked for the CIA just from how they stand?! Eliot: It's a very distinctive stance! 

Hardison: You were scared to fight a girl. Eliot: She'd mop the floor with you, Hardison Hardison: I don't care. Eliot: Seriously, she actually killed a guy once with a mop. It's a funny story, actually. She broke the mop and took... Hardison: Eliot, Eliot.

Tara: I checked you out, Mr. Ford. Half my sources say you're a vicious thief. The other half claim you're some kind of high-tech vigilante. Nate: I like that. I should put that on my card.

Tara: What are we supposed to do, steal the wake? Nate: Whoa, have some respect--borrow the wake, to save the bar.

Nate: All right, good news, bad news. Tara: Good news? Nate: The mayor's hooked. We're in the pinch. Tara: Bad news? Nate: I think we lost Eliot until the playoffs.

Sophie: Someone explain to me, what the hell is a Steranko? Hardison: Steranko's the toughest security system in the world, in the universe, in the multiverse, whatever. Eliot: How do you not know this? Sophie: I am a grifter. If I'm doing my job right then the mark just, click, turns off the alarm for me.   (As Hardison alters Moto's photo) Eliot: That's nice, make him--make him look drunker. And then richer. Hardison: What you want me to do, give the man a pet tiger? Eliot: Can you do that?
   Fake FBI Guy: FBI, sir. That young lady's in our custody. Hardison: Aw see, you made two mistakes, bro. First, you flashed that fake ass FBI badge at me. Second, you spilled his coffee. (Pointing at Eliot)
   Nate: Where's Eliot? Hardison: Oh, he had to change his shirt. He got coffee on it. And some blood and some teeth.
   Parker: Who knew a sedan could hit 140? Sophie: Parker, you are never to get behind the wheel of a car again, okay? Never. 

Parker: (noting a statuary in a vault) Oh, hello. Last time I saw you was at the Louvre. Well, actually you were in the back seat of my car, but before that you were at the Louvre. Nate: Parker, focus! Parker: Okay.


Hardison: Small one is land purchases--old manor houses up for auction, all within the last two years, all in Scotland. Ha! Places like, uh...Loch Glengorra...and Loch McGr-r-r...I'm not even gonna try to pronounce it, man. It's just a bunch of random Gs and Ns.


Nate: The name of this con is called "The Mummy's Tiara." Hardison: Come on, man, that can't be real. Parker: Am I gonna have to steal a corpse again?
   Parker: I still don't know why Sophie's not doing this part of the con. Nate: Well, the con requires a carrot and a stick. I need her to be the stick. Parker: Well, remember that time I was the carrot and I stabbed somebody? Nate: I do.
 

Parker: You know, I'm really starting to like tasing people. Is that a problem?


#Leaverage #leverage #tv #quotes #funny