#the Restraint and Space in this song too god it's like. it's fucking incredible

[thekidsarentalright]

sunshine riptide one of the best songs ever made on planet earth and the entire universe, even

#you came back like a wave when i was feeling alright is a lyric that hits me so fucking deep for no reason #burna boys verse the production on it!!!! one of the best produced fob songs can i make that argument. i think i will #like idk the reverb on the backing vocals that are echoing the main vocals #the synth(?) in the beginning before the instruments kick in the subtly of the instruments #the Restraint and Space in this song too god it's like. it's fucking incredible #and dont even get me started on the rest of the lyrics the visual it puts in ur head #i could ramble abt this song forever it is Perfect genuinely i love it so much #i deserve to ramble abt music more often actually lyric analysis over music analysis time /j #p: 100 #txt

[kthyg]

; library (winter’s recs)

➸ notes 💌 ; hii my lovess so since im too lazy and dumb to create another acc for fic or novel recs, i decided to just create a post where i compile everything! if this post ever reaches the limit, i’ll make a new post and link it here (vice versa for the new post). so without wasting more spaces, i present to you an endless list of bts fics! (and some novels, separately) along with my short review <3 please give the authors thumbs up and muchh love for their incredible works.

➸ note 2 ⚠️ ; i write and read yandere and heavy themes stories therefore my list will include both non yandere and yandere stories. yandere stories will be marked with “y”. and if by any chance, any author of any of the fics that i put here, dislike yandere contents, do tell me if you wish to not engage with, and be included in my post ^^’

➸ hint 🔍 ; a - angst || s - smut || f - fluff || y - yandere || tw - heed trigger warnings

o t 7

➸ nexus by @bangtangalicious (s, a, y, casino!au, elite!au, gang/organized crime!au, thriller)

full of questions >:( type of story that makes you go “HUH WHAT” “what.” “omg???” yeah that. story starts with past time and move forward to the present until the day mc was framed for murder.

ongoing series

➸ house of serpents by @smasmashie (s, a, mafia au)

iMMACULATE WRITINGS IDK IDK I JUST LOVE YDK HOW MUCH I LOVE it. not your normal fic >:( this is extraordinary. author writes it with grace, writes it like she owns it >:( (well ofc yeah HSHS) daddy namjoon, kind of like close friend yoongi?, client hoseok, another best friend (kind of) jin, “the guy who lived in the same apartment but never talk with u until one day” taehyung, obsessed little koo who knows u from the past, unhinged jimin (REAL.) lastly, i swear mc is a fuck toy through out the story I FEEL BAD FOR HER

ongoing series

m u l t i p l e m e m b e r s

➸ the art of self-restraint by @scribblemetae (s, f, 4some, maknae-line)

BABY BOY JIMIN. SUB JIMIN. BRAT JIMIN. JIMINNNNNNNNN jimin walks in on mc and tae doing the deeds and min wants to make mc needy for him :(((

oneshot

k i m s e o k j i n

➸ sana by @go1denjeon

oneshot

m i n y o o n g i

➸ paubaya by @go1denjeon (a)

YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SONG WHILE READING THIS UNTIL THE END. READ THE LYRICS OF THE SONG BECAUSE GOD DAMN IM CRYING AND THIS SONG STILL HAUNTS ME TILL THIS DAY I KID YOU NOT. plus the story just fr, pure angst.

oneshot

j u n g h o s e o k

➸ n/a

k i m n a m j o o n

➸ mistress by @kaiseuphoria (a, s, college au, slow burn)

it’s dilf namjoon we talking about yall. yandere dilf namjoon <33333333

oneshot

p a r k j i m i n

➸ the devil’s own luck by @jimlingss (f, a, s, demon au)

childhood bestfriend jimin! demon that mc accidentally found from a box (yeah a box) and he’s stuck with her forever. and since then mc has a .. well, bad luck.

oneshot

➸ esse tuus by @lavienjin (f, s, office!au, incubus)

incubus jimin. do i need to elaborate? no.

oneshot

➸ in flagrante delicto by @hisunshiine (a, s, f, law firm au, coworkers to lovers)

the title gives it all 🫣 mc needed to partner up with jimin for a case and thats where the rollercoaster began. oh and jimin is a flirt (or manwhore, what the author described)

oneshot

➸ one time thing by @personasintro (s, a)

let’s be honest here. who tf asks your best friend to sleep with your bf just because you don’t feel like it (smtg like that yeah?) lowkey infidelity HAH

ongoing series

➸ come home to me… darling by @roses-ruby (a, s, f, cheating au)

IT HURTS BUT IM A BIG GIRL I CAN READ CHEATING FICS. this hurts SO bad i tell you. read this only if you can handle this (SOUNDS DRAMATIC BUT SHUTUP) i had to pause my reading because the emotion, the pain just zzzssup to my heart p a i n. jimin is the worst of a jerk i kid you not. mc trying her best but this man just steps on everything.

twoshots

➸ love me better by @taegularities (a, f, s, detective au, strangers to lovers)

it’s a push and pull for me </3 between mc and jm. well anyways, started with one night thing but mc and jm ended up working on the same case and everything starts there. ANGST just pure angst. </33 but i l o v e. rid’s work >>>>

oneshot

➸ nectar by @gimmethatagustd (a, f, s, college au, stangers to lovers)

vamps mc and human jimin ;)) YKYK well jimin is a human that enrolls in a vampire uni/college and the human dorms are full so he had to share a room with mc ;) and it goes on.

oneshot

k i m t a e h y u n g

➸ fic 1 by @

➸ fic 2 by @

j e o n j u n g k o o k

➸ STAY by @lolabangtan (a, f, s, college au, roommates au, e2l)

My heart is so soft for this. I live for sub koo and i live for this fic. I love everything about this fic; i can’t put my feelings into words TT. Koo might be (a bit) of an arsehole but i understand him </3. Also this may be bcs of MC’s role as the top/dom but I loved it when she decided to confront koo bcs if it was me i wouldn’t. I love their dynamic too :(( They were literally made for each other <3 I WONT GO ANY DEEPER BUT GIVE SUB KOO A READ this is the best sub koo fic i’ve ever read.

➸ sideshow by @lolabangtan (s, tw: dub con fantasy)

sub koo thats all. do i need to elaborate more? no. this is self explanatory. alr just kidding. it’s mutual pinning ?? THATS ALL I CAN say. mc likes koo, wants to make a move, asked him to be in her camshow and fucked him. (he’s cute i sobbed)

[withallthingslove]

Captain Marvel Spoiler Filled Review

A completely chaotic “review” that is just my random thoughts

spoilers under the cut

- i saw this movie with three of my close friends (one who is a dude and lifelong comic fan, and then two girls who are hella feminist) so I will include some of their reactions as well just to give an idea of what it was like for different people

- right out of the gate the Marvel intro montage is all Stan Lee. It was very heartfelt and the entire theater clapped. That pretty much set the mood for the entire movie

- I know a lot of critics found the beginning to be slow, and while I agree I didn’t mind it. One of my friends said she thought the beginning was a little too jumbled and she described it as “it’s like the directors learned how to direct as the movie went on”. 

- The movie opens with Carol (at this point called Vers) having a confusing nightmare and trying to decipher it afterwards with little help from those around her. Because Carol has amnesia, the audience is left to feel what she feels which is confusion. I get what the directors were going for, but it was a little jumbled. 

- I did find the dream sequence effective and did feel Carol’s confusion and fear when she woke up. 

- She goes to her mentor yon-rogg and asks if he wants to practice fighting. They banter, and it becomes immediately clear to the audience that although Carol is confused they have a rapport with each other and she trusts him. Although he teases her, he *appears* to care for her. During the fighting scene there is more banter, but yon-rogg also tells Carol to control her emotions better. I know there were a lot of complaints from fuckboys about brie larson being stoned faced, but it makes sense for the character. She has emotions, and then is told to suppress them. 

- it was satisfying to see her zap him with her powers anyway, and the whole “don’t show emotion” garbage he was telling her reminded me of like every female experience ever and first clued me in on yon-rogg’s shadiness

- On the train ride back from fighting, carol and yon-rogg have very flirty banter and eye contact and i was like ohhhhhhhh and interpreted it that they were a thing. I’m not sure if this was on purpose, but jude law and brie larson had great chemistry (brie had chemistry with everyone though tbh) and it was very hard to ignore. Plus they’re both hot. I leaned over to my friends and asked “they’re a thing right?” and they said “yes I thought so too” and “i think it’s implied”

- When Carol gets sent to the artificial intelligence place to be approved for her first mission I did find that scene pretty confusing and jumbled

- The mission itself was very dimly lit which made it a little confusing to understand/see what exactly was happening

- But it was cool to see Korath from GOTG. One thing this movie did really well was tying into other MCU movies and connecting everything. This movie definitely feels fresh compared to other origin stories but also fits in the the universe and makes it feel more complete

- When Carol was captured and her memories explored, ben mendolsohn’s voice came on as a voice over for talos and I leaned over to my guy friend and went “i fucking love ben mendolsohn” because ITS TRUE. His voice is so recognizable and then even underneath the skrull make up his acting was so distinct

- The memory exploration scene was jumbled like the nightmare, and it made me wish that we got more of carol’s human life backstory. I got the vibe that those scenes would have been better if they were fleshed out more instead of just little tidbits for the audience. that was one of my biggest complaints for the movie is the order the flashbacks appear and how little there were

- Carol screaming at one of the skrulls as she escapes was super funny and showed a lot of her personality. I think it separates her from a lot of heroes because most are nervous as they are trying to escape but she seemed confident in her powers and her ability and therefore could joke around a bit more

- The story definitely picked up once she crash landed on earth, and the 90s nostalgia was very funny and all of those jokes landed with the audience

-Samuel l jackson did a great job as a young fury. This fury is different. He’s much more idealistic and optimistic about the world, and functions more as a good cop than the fury we see in other mcu movies. It was also cool to see coulson again

- I really really enjoyed the scene when carol is able to make contact with the rest of the kree warriors the first time from the phone booth. Even though I got a bad vibe from yon-rogg I did get the feeling that he genuinely cared for carol’s safety. By the end of the movie my opinion about that was conflicted but I think that scene did a good job of showing that she was with them for 6 years which is a long time and why it took her so long to process everything that happened later because it countered everything she knew. It also did a really good job of showing that when she first landed on earth, she still was more kree than human. Her report back was very matter of fact compared to her later contact with them.

- Brie larson and samuel l jackson had GREATTT buddy cop comedy chemistry

- The train chase was very fun to watch, and like the trailer it was very satisfying to see Carol punch the “old lady” 

- the scene where fury and talos (disguised as a SHIELD agent) look to see if the dead skrull has a penis got A LOT of laughs

- There’s a scene where Carol is standing outside trying to figure out her next move and this motorcycle dude pulls up and revs the motorcycle and tells her to smile. She just glared at him and then stole his motorcycle and it was ICONIC

- Again I really really really love the dynamic between Carol and Fury

- the second phone call when Carol makes contact with the Krees shows her more human side coming out. Brie Larson is great at showing emotion and as she was starting to put the pieces together everything was making more sense and less sense at the same time and you could feel her confusion and panic that something was off.

- Ben Mendolsohn is a gem and needs to be protected pass it on

- I LOVEDDDDD the moment when Coulson let Carol and Fury go without ratting them out just proving once again that he is one of the best and while i love loki i also hate him for killing him because coulson is too good for this world

- Things got really good when Fury and Carol went to Maria because I STAN FEMALE FRIENDSHIP SO HARD. From the first look they had so much depth and Maria played a huge part of helping Carol understand who she was. 

- Also go Maria for being a badass pilot and single mom and amazing best friend

- MONICA IS THE BEST OMG. Her line to her mom about setting an example for her was A++++++

- Goose the cat was also great the only thing I’ll say about this is that Goose is a scene stealer. I don’t want to give the spoilers for Goose away because while predictable they are things I wouldn’t want to spoil for anyone

- I loved the subtle nods at gender inequality 

- While the “twist” of Talos and the skrulls being good was predictable it was still very enjoyable. The predictability of it did not take anything away from it. There were references to how other planets treat refugees and Ben Mendolsohn did a great job with the pathos required for the role

- He also did an A+ job with the humor which I won’t give away because those lines are worth hearing fresh

- I think yon-rogg ‘s shadiness at the beginning is what tipped me off to the twist that he is the true villain of the story. 

- Again, the movie’s flashback scenes felt like they should be my favorite part and filled with drama and be the emotional backbone, but they just didn’t get there. It took so much effort to decipher them that you didn’t really get to sit back and process the emotional weight of them. So when Carol ran out crying once her memories returned while I thought the acting between her and Maria was great, the meaning of the conversation and hug did not have the full weight because the audience (or me) was still processing what we just learned

- Annette Bening is my mom. Also if there was ever a biopic on elizabeth warren she should play her. Also I don’t like that we didn’t get as much Mar-Vell and the reveal that she was helping the skrulls was very rushed and I feel should have had more of an emotional impact. Plus more about her relationship with carol

- Talos reuniting with his family was incredibly sweet

- It’s cool to see where exactly the tesseract ended up between CA: TFA and Avengers

- Okay.why.do.yon-rogg.and.carol.have.so.much.sexual.tension. I was worried it was just me and I looked at my friends and was just like wtf is this are they about to fuck? and we basically agreed that their sexual tension kept building throughout the final act of the movie and that they wanted to hate fuck. After one moment during the fighting it kept building my friend went “yep THIS IS CANON”  because you guys I am not kidding like I don’t ship them because yon-rogg SUCKS but they had the best accidental chemistry of any co stars ever

- The scene where Carol breaks out of the restraints and realizes her full power was BADASS. I loved the flashback montage of her always getting back up again and embracing who she it. POETIC CINEMA

- Though I personally did not like the scene where she is fighting off the Kree on the ship.. . I just wasn’t a fan of the song choice and some of the lines were just cliche. It was nice to watch Carol smile with each hit as her power increased because she was enjoying it which is something we dont see a lot i feel like but the scene did not reach its full potential for me

- It was cool to see ronan and have the space marvel movie characters be tied in. And interesting that we saw ronan before he went “rogue” Again this movie did a great job connecting the dots to other marvel movies

- CAROL IS SO POWERFUL OH MY GOD THANOS IS GOING TO GET HIS ASS KICKED AND IT WAS SO SATISFYING TO SEE HER JOURNEY

- speaking of satisfying watching her tell yon-rogg she doesn’t need to prove him anything and then blasting him into a rock cured my depression

- again i dont really understand their relationship because there’s the sexual tension, the seemingly genuine caring on his side that is conflicted with his utter manipulation and lying (a very good example of how abusive/manipulative people often don’t come across that way)... the fact that she doesnt kill him? like girl kill him and be done. It was funny when she grabbed his hand and then just dragged him to his ship, but then when he told her he couldnt go back empty handed the way jude law delivered the line made it seem like he was confiding in her and there was this intimacy. And then she was just like “boy bye im ending this war and idgaf what happens to you” because shes a queen and is done with his lies

- The ending with Carol and Talos was cute

- The ending with Coulson and Fury made me want to cry and scream because the avengers theme song began to play and we see the beginning stages of the avengers initiative which just made me think about how we have one month till all the characters we love die and this franchise has meant so much to me over the years

- the mid credit scene continued that excitement and dread.

If I was ranking the movie as a critic, I would probably give it 65%. It was good, I was never bored, the performances were great. But it definitely should have been better. There were just some parts of it that were underwhelming or didn’t deliver the way they should. My guy friend said it was just okay and that it felt more like a tie in to endgame and less about captain marvel herself. My other friends agreed on the 65% from an objective opinion, but we all want to see it again.

As a hardcore marvel fan, I give the movie 75%. I loved the characters, the easter eggs, the acting, the way the movie felt like a new beginning for marvel while still tying into past movies. It was everything I love about this franchise

#captain marvel spoilers #captain marvel #carol danvers #maria rambeau #brie larson #yon-rogg #jude law #nick fury #samuel l jackson #marvel #mcu #annette bening #mine #avengers endgame

[anais-mitchell]

Philip Tour 12/29/18 Evening, Ft. Lauderdale

This show was so incredible. We were seated in the very back row of orchestra left, but the Broward theater really isn’t that big so we had a good view. Not really close enough to see faces but still decent. I’ll put this under a read more because it will probably get long!

Angelica Tour Review

Alexander Hamilton: Very good! It’s been said to death but the choreography is just so cool. I’ve heard criticisms of Nik for looking proud when saying “I’m the damn fool that shot him” but either he toned it down or I was too far away to see clearly.

Aaron Burr, Sir: Nik and Joseph just are such a good Burr and Hamilton together. I’m not sure if this is always the case but they were chatting while the squad introductions were going on rather than watching. Nik looked very offended by “what’ll you fall for?”

My Shot: LOVED Joseph here. He had so much energy and you could really feel that he was inspiring the guys and was so excited to finally share all his ideas and goals. Nik was very funny in his little bit, but Fergie had me CRACKING UP with his coat flourish; he like put his leg up on the table on pointe and it was ridiculously funny. King definitely showed Laurens’s shit stirring angry nature with the rise up bit, and Joseph had such a great buildup from Hamilton’s quiet self doubt to being emboldened by his ideals and new friends.

The Story of Tonight: This really revived the Lams shipper in me not gonna lie it was Gay. At one point they were like staring into each others eyes and Lafayette and Mulligan had to physically pull them apart and Kyle was like “eyes over here” with his fingers, definitely calling them out for checking each other out lol. They also were very touchy-feely walking off together. Anyways their voices were excellent and you could feel the camaraderie very well.

The Schuyler Sisters: YESS so much fun. Nyla was sufficiently sassy and Jen definitely reminded me of Solea with her excitedness and expressiveness. Her voice is just so clear and pretty I’m in love? Ta’Rea was also so over it with Burr and really went for it on her bit.

Farmer Refuted: Joseph is so tiny and angry it made me laugh. At “my dog speaks more eloquently than thee” King and Fergie (I think? Two of the Sons of Liberty) like got on each other’s back and mimicked dogs humping or something it was sooo funny. Also this confirms my theory that Eliza is definitely in character watching Alexander in the wings, she looked so entertained and giggled a little when she was pulled away by Angelica.

You’ll Be Back: Jon Patrick Walker is a pretty funny king.

Right Hand Man: This number is genuinely really underrated the ensemble choreography is so fucking cool. Marcus definitely commands the stage as Washington and really conveyed his frustration. Joseph and Marcus played off each other very well, Hamilton was definitely very inspired and reverential of Washington. Nik was all ruffled after being sent off by Washington.

A Winter’s Ball: Nik was super pissed at the beginning and very “wtf how does this guy do it,” which was kinda his attitude towards Hamilton the whole show. Laurens and Hamilton were also hanging off each other a ton at the start of this number.

Helpless: Okay so this was a definite highlight of the show!! Jen freaking killed it I was so so impressed. She had such a huge crush it was adorable, she was basically gushing to the audience and Angelica. She looked genuinely shocked when Hamilton looked back at her and like she had butterflies as he was walking over. Nyla did a super cute “look I have your letter!” dance on “one week later..” and both Joseph and Jen had the cutest victory dances. But ugh Hamilton’s bit KILLED me Eliza was so excited to spend her life with this dork and he cupped her face on “but I’ll never forget my mother’s face that was real..” Their Hamliza just had no concept of personal space they were so close together and intimate. Her riffs were also 10/10 I can’t stress enough how pretty her voice is. He was cupping her face again after the wedding kiss and they just looked so in love and happy my heart could not take it their chemistry was insane.

Satisfied: Lmao King played Laurens as so drunk for the intro. Ta’Rea did a very good job, her conflict between her feelings for Hamilton and love for Eliza was expressed well. Her bridge was really sad and she almost sounded on the verge of tears, she also had some very good riffs on the end. I thought she was good but didn’t really do much to make it her own. I wish I had more to say but it was a pretty standard Satisfied imo.

The Story of Tonight- Reprise: Silly and fun all around for the first bit. Joseph and Nik genuinely seemed to be friends in this song, Nik’s “to be sure” was pretty heartfelt. Fergie twerked on Nik which was as perfect as it sounds.

Wait For It: I was surprised by how much I liked this. It was an interesting paradox between how Burr was singing about self restraint and waiting for it but was also really letting himself go and be taken by his passion. I wasn’t totally sold on his Burr at first but I thought this was so strong, there was a definite moment at the end where he kind realized how he had let his passion overtake him and straightened his jacket and settled back into his calm, collected demeanor. This is a super hard song to pull of convincingly and I was impressed.

Stay Alive: Quality all around. Marcus and Joseph continued to play off each other very well and Joseph seemed so pissed that he couldn’t fight Lee.

Ten Duel Commandments: Oh my god Burr was SO OVER IT it was really funny. He directed “you have him turn around so he can have deniability” straight to the doctor as in “dude, turn the fuck around!”

Meet Me Inside: I’m pretty sure Joseph accidentally said “Joe, we won!” instead of “Go, we won!” for some reason lol. He was very petulant with Washington and his “call me son one more time!” was so pissed.

That Would Be Enough: Heart eyes heart eyes heart eyes. Joseph was so full of wonder and amazement when her first saw Eliza’s pregnancy. Like I said, no concept of personal space between these two and it was perfect. I feel like Jen’s Eliza was less begging him to stay and more confident that he would; kinda as if she was just reminding him of their love which made “I’m not afraid, I know who I married” more poignant. They were extremely soft as the lights went down with him touching her belly and kissing her hand.

Guns and Ships: I hate talking negative because it really was a great show but this was a letdown. Kyle’s French accent is poor and when you combine that with how deep and thick his voice is the quick paced rapping was just not working for anyone in my party, especially after seeing Chris Lee in Atlanta. The Hamliza goodbye was very sweet and sad though. Jen was not happy for him to be leaving.

History Has Its Eyes on You: Marcus really brought it, you could tell he was haunted by his past and that Joseph really understood the gravity of what he was saying. These are also some of my favorite ensemble harmonies of the show.

Yorktown: Seriously fuck Florida audiences for the dead silence after “Immigrants, we get the job done.” It was so awkward. But this number is always incredible and this was no exception, Joseph fully inhabited Hamilton’s emotions and drive to win. Fergie’s rap was so energetic and perfect. While Marcus didn’t hit “not yet” as powerfully as Carvens, it was still very good.

What Comes Next?: The stamping on “I’m so blue” is always funny.

Dear Theodosia: Lovely. They sang together very well and were super optimistic and proud.

Laurens Interlude: Again the Lams was really emphasized. Joseph knew by “it’s from his father” and you could just see his grief. The look between them was very emotional, as was “I have so much work to do.”

Non-Stop: This song is totally driven by the Hamilton-Burr interactions and Joseph and Nik did it excellently. You really started to see Joseph’s ambition and confidence increase throughout the song and Nik continued his “wtf” reaction to everything Joseph did. Also, my new favorite moment in the show with both Nicholas Christopher and Nik Walker is “he’s just non-stop”; while Christopher was like fake smiling through gritted teeth, Walker was just so exasperated and basically saying to the audience “the fuck is he on about?” Both equally hilarious. You could definitely see Eliza starting to lose some faith in Hamilton at “would that be enough?” and she was super pissed in “Alexander” and “isn’t this enough?” They all really set up the Act 2 conflicts well in this song.

What’d I Miss?: Right away I preferred Kyle’s Jefferson to his Lafayette, although it still wasn’t anywhere near Chris Lee’s (but few are to be fair.) My dad thought he was late on some of his lines but I didn’t pick up on it. I don’t remember that many details but he was funny.

Cabinet Battle #1: Kyle was shamelessly high fiving and shaking hands with all the ensemble members before it started lol. His mic drop to Fergie got a lot of laughs. Joseph went really hard on his verse especially the slavery bit, and when he went after Madison he started having a coughing fit and Jefferson was slamming on his back to get it out which was hilarious. Their exit off the stage was so silly and funny too. Also Joseph is so much shorter than Kyle it is ridiculous. Bonus note, watching Burr’s reactions to the argument in the left balcony is almost as entertaining as the argument itself.

Take A Break: ELIZA LOVES PHILIP SO MUCH MY HEART COULDN’T TAKE IT. Her beatboxing was so “proud mama” and King had an adorable Philip rap. I really liked Ta’Rea and Joseph’s delivery of “my dearest, Angelica.” Jen’s Eliza was SO EXCITED to see her sister!! And the end just broke my heart because throughout the whole song Eliza seemed so confident that he would come with them and she was really sad when he didn’t. Jen’s journey as Eliza really had to do a lot with her gradual loss of faith in her husband and it was super heartbreaking.

Say No to This: Nyla played a very sympathetic Maria, you definitely got the vibe that she was being pimped out and wasn’t lying about “beating me, cheating me, mistreating me.” Joseph was so angry at her but eventually gave in and had some pretty intense “yes” moans lmao. Nyla slayed the high note too. 

The Room Where it Happens: By this point you could tell Joseph’s confidence was at a point where he really felt Burr was beneath him and somehow Burr was so confused as to how this had happened. Nik really put on a show in this number and his big revelation moment was electrifying. (Side not, I never understand why this moment gets laughs??) He tore up the stage towards the end and really hammered home the shift in Burr’s character. I said this was the highlight of my Atlanta show by far, and while it wasn’t the same level here, it still was amazing.

Schuyler Defeated: Nik was super self satisfied here and all “who’s better than who NOW hmm?”

Cabinet Battle #2: Good all around. I thought Joseph was really funny.

Washington on Your Side: The way Burr came out was so freaking funny, he had this goofy smile on and was doing this stupid little dance like “ooh yes lets bond over hating Hamilton.” They were all very intent on taking him down and conniving.

One Last Time: Y’ALL THIS WAS EXCELLENTT. I loved the way Joseph played off of Marcus but this number was all Marcus. He was so ready to rest while also trying to secure his legacy and his voice was incredible in the end. 

I Know Him: Definitely the funniest King song of the night. His “WHAT” and “I KNOW HIM!!!” were hilarious.

The Adams Administration: BURR WAS DANCING WITH THE KING AT THE BEGINNING IN SUCH A SILLY PETTY WAY IT WAS SO GOOD. Joseph was just straight up pissed at Adams and his whole attitude was very “fuck it.”

We Know: Yeah Joseph panicked a lot and was very defensive. I think he was also really shocked that Burr had allied with Jefferson and Madison. Eliza and Philip in the balcony was a sad touch.

Hurricane: Ugh incredible. The lighting and choreography of this number >>>>. Joseph still seemed overly confident that he was making the right decision and he totally delivered on the intense emotions. 

The Reynolds Pamphlet: As soon as the bass dropped you could see Eliza pull out a paper in the balcony and walk off. All the different reactions were super well done. Philip looked so upset and he first ran off after “his own house? Damn,” but at the mention of “our children” he turned back and had this heartbroken look and then ran off again. Jefferson and the king were having the time of their lives lol, and Washington looked very disappointed. Ta’Rea barely even let him touch her before she pulled away. She was so angry and sad at the same time. There was an interesting touch I’d never seen before where Joseph tried to put his hands like around her waist after “God, I hope you’re satisfied” and she shoved him away.

Burn: I feel like people get so caught up in Eliza’s anger that they forget how sad this song really is. She started off just devastated and totally at rock bottom, in utter disbelief with all her faith in her husband gone. Her “you, you, you” was just totally heart wrenching and then she had that moment of clarity where her emotions totally shifted to anger. Her burn notes weren’t as strong as they could have been but she totally made up with the emotion. The best part was the ending though, she was so icy on “I hope that you burn,” but then you saw her anger melt away and she was just left with that total sadness again. Jen was so so so good and I’m in love with her voice.

Blow Us All Away: Philip definitely inherited his unearned confidence from his father. Joseph seemed like he didn’t take it seriously enough and kinda just trusted it would all blow over. At the duel itself, King played Philip as more confident than nervous.

Stay Alive- Reprise: UGHH everyone brought it so hard here. Joseph was so utterly panicked and upset running into the doctor, the doctor was basically holding him back and he just sprinted to Philip. King very much played Philip as actively dying, he was sobbing and choking out words which I like so much more than “Philip is brave and pushing through it!!” because the kid is DYING he should be upset and terrified that this happened. Jen was in so much shock but she went for it so hard with the scream my heart shattered. You could see Joseph’s world just crash down around him as Eliza ripped her hand away and he realized all he’d lost.

It’s Quiet Uptown: @picquery did a much better job explaining Joseph in this song than I ever could, but he was really good. I wish I had been closer to see his faces better, but you could just see that his whole world and self concept had been completely demolished. This is where Joseph’s emphasis on Hamilton’s confidence up until this point and Jen’s emphasis of Eliza’s decreasing faith in Hamilton intersected beautifully. Hamilton really realized how wrong he had been in everything and how he really didn’t deserve Eliza but wanted her so badly. Watching Jen’s attempt to hold onto her anger but slowly letting it fade away as she fell back in love with Hamilton was so emotional. When she took his hand, they just stared at each other for so long; Joseph was just reveling in her forgiveness that he knew he didn’t deserve and Jen was just allowing herself to feel his love again. This is where their total lack of personal space came back and they were just so close together, they didn’t break eye contact until they left the stage and it was just transcendent.

The Election of 1800: God what a transition lol. Nik played it as if he was disappointed that Hamilton wasn’t initially warm to him rather than jumping right in with the cheesiness. Still, he looked very confident that Hamilton would endorse him and vice versa for Jefferson. Joseph was definitely itching to get back into politics which was very frustrating to see after It’s Quiet Uptown. I thought the ending between Jefferson and Burr was very funny, probably my fave Kyle moment of the show.

Your Obedient Servant: Nik was so shocked at the results of the election; it was almost like he had shown dominance or something over Hamilton in Act 2 and that would make Hamilton respect him when the opposite was true. He was very angry while Hamilton was more self righteous and unapologetic.

Best of Wives, Best of Women: Cute :((

The World Was Wide Enough: You could definitely feel that Nik didn’t want it to come to this but was gritting his teeth and doing it. Joseph’s monologue was definitely my favorite part of his performance, the choreography mirroring My Shot is so poignant and he conveyed this whole feeling of he had finally matured and realized what mattered and just wanted more time with Eliza. “Eliza, my love..” made me cry. Still my favorite moment in the whole show. Nik’s regret was super powerful.

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story: Jen carried this so well. Her Eliza was so strong and desperate to preserve Hamilton’s legacy while also making the world a better place. “The orphanage” hit me so hard, the fact that Eliza lost her child and then helped raise hundreds more... Jen expressed this fully. Her reunion with Hamilton pulled on the heartstrings and she had the perfect gasp at the end.

Joseph Morales as Alexander Hamilton: We been knew he’s the best of the best and he was such a joy to see live. He brings so much energy and determination to Hamilton but isn’t afraid to show the uglier sides of him. Like I said, his Hamilton’s arc is really about the rise and fall of confidence and realizing what truly matters; his wife and family. He had amazing chemistry with everyone with whom he interacted but especially Jen, Nik, Marcus, and King. His singing and rapping is impeccable as well and so emotive. I was actually really surprised that my dad wasn’t as much of a fan as he was of Edred.

Jen Sese as Eliza Hamilton: Soo it’s no secret that I adore Shoba Narayan and she was the cast member I was most excited to see, so my heart did drop a little when I saw she was out. But let me say Jen Sese stole my heart!! She gave a near perfect performance as Eliza. Just for starters, she has this beautiful crystal clear almost soprano voice that just soars through the theater. I feel like she would be a killer Natasha or Cosette. I was so impressed by her Act 1 that I wasn’t sure if she’d be able to pull off the emotion of Act 2 but she absolutely did. Her Eliza’s journey was all about faith in both her husband and herself and she sold everything Eliza felt perfectly. She was the perfect Eliza to Joseph’s Hamilton, so grounded and supportive while also being firm and powerful. Her Eliza reminded me of both Solea and Shoba in the best ways. I could absolutely see her taking over this role or even either other sister after departures. I can’t say enough good things about her honestly.

Nik Walker as Aaron Burr: I was surprised by how much I liked him? Almost everyone I’ve heard review him had negative opinions but I thought his Burr was so different and engaging. Something about his Wait For It worked sooo well for me. His humor also worked for me and I loved his revelation moment in Room. I think his Burr was all about being respected and proving himself to carry on his parents’ legacy; it was very sad to see him fail to do so.

Ta’Rea Campbell as Angelica Schuyler: She did everything a good Angelica needs to do. Her bridge in Satisfied and her Reynolds Pamphlet were definitely two highlights of the show, and she had some killer riffs. I do wish she had done a bit more to make the role her own but she definitely played Angelica well.

Marcus Choi as George Washington: He gave a really excellent performance. His interactions with Joseph’s Hamilton were so good and his One Last Time almost brought me to tears, audios definitely do not do him justice because he is so much better live. He’s definitely secured his place as one of my favorite Washingtons.

Kyle Scatliffe as Lafayette/Jefferson: I don’t know if it was the fact that I saw Chris Lee (inarguably the best Laf/Jeff) in Atlanta or what, but his performance sadly did not do much for me. His French accent was Bad and he definitely lacked the rapping abilities to pull off Guns and Ships. I did like his Jefferson a bit more, he was sufficiently funny and had some really great moments such as the end of Election of 1800, but he was just not one of the highlights of the night. I think he’s much more suited to a role like Enjolras that’s more singing heavy, and he definitely had charisma as Lafayette but somehow he just feels miscast.

Fergie L. Phillipe as Mulligan/Madison: His Mulligan was perfection. He had the big booming voice of Oak but totally added some of his own flourishes and gave all the energy. I also thought his Madison was excellent and played really well off of Kyle’s Jefferson.

King David Jones as Laurens/Philip: I have really, really enjoyed what I’ve heard of Elijah’s L/P, so when I saw he was out I kinda resigned myself to a mediocre L/P performance as I have yet to see a really good L/P cover. Boy was I wrong!! King was so surprisingly good!!! His Laurens was definitely shit stirring, angry, reckless, and ready to lay down his life for what he believed in. He and Joseph were VERY strong in the Lams department which is something I definitely missed in Atlanta. Like they definitely fucked after Story of Tonight lol. I also enjoyed his Philip a lot. He oozed swagger and confidence in Blow Us All Away but his Stay Alive Reprise was SO heartbreaking because he was full on sobbing and could barely get words out. You really got the feeling of how much pain he was in and how scared he was of dying which a lot of L/P’s fail to deliver on. One of the biggest surprises of the show for me personally.

Nyla Sostre as Peggy/Maria: This is honestly a thankless role, but she did all she could with it. Her Peggy was super sassy in Schuyler Sisters and excited for Eliza in Helpless/Satisfied, and like I said, she played a very sympathetic Maria with a killer voice. She looked so betrayed and upset when reading the Reynolds Pamphlet.

And that’s that! All in all I am glad I saw the cast I did, they told the story perfectly. I didn’t stagedoor because I actually could not find it, I asked like three different ushers and they all gave me different directions and we were all so exhausted by then that we just went home. I’d be happy to answer any other questions about the show or specific actors!

#my posts #hamilton #joseph morales #jen sese #nik walker #ta'rea campbell #marcus choi #kyle scatliffe #fergie l. phillipe #king david jones #nyla sostre #jon patrick walker #hamilton review #philip tour #philip company

[pisati]

I had a moment today. I had a few moments. when I was walking to my car after work today, I noticed I was smiling. it was kind of a weird day; we had some dull moments and some moments when there were 3-some clients in the lobby with their pets, they were short-staffed in the back so they were running a little behind, and we were being overwhelmed with calls (and I’m still not comfortable answering client calls because I’m not well-versed in anything yet; I’ve been putting people on hold). but I get to talk to people every day and see their pets. 

we had this one guy bring in his cat today and he was telling us about his tattoos, told us what tattoo shops he goes to, he said he loved the line work on my snake and I told him that the line work is why I picked the artist I did. like... even though being a receptionist is kind of stressful for me, I leave the clinic every day thankful that I get to interact with people and I have so much to learn and do, so many things pulling my attention and getting me out of my chair every so often. I’m still learning how the clinic works and I’m kind of struggling with my memory. first of all there’s SO MUCH to take in, so that’s kind of not surprising, but I’m also forgetting names and basic information I should have closer to the front of my mind. like a dog named Rex that I checked in this morning; couldn’t remember his name for the life of me until I heard his owner say it as they came up to the counter to check out. thankfully we do have a button on our computer program that tells us which clients are currently in the clinic, but that wasn’t really helpful when I couldn’t remember which pet’s name I was looking for among the handful of others. even so, I know I’ll free up more space in my brain once the rest of the procedures become more habitual.

when I got home later I thought back to my first day as an intern at my last job. it was early july 2017. I’d actually tried that day; I’d gotten up early, pulled on dress pants and a cardigan, had on ballet flats; typical business casual. even put on a little makeup. it seemed like that all was the expectation, even though the guys often wore polos tucked into jeans. but it really hit me as I was driving to the office; just that feeling. I managed to dig up the post I wrote about it: 

I had a moment this morning while I was driving, though. I was in my car during the morning commute. I didn't feel completely like death; I even woke up before my alarm and got everything done that I needed to before I left. I had a protein bar in my bag and a refillable water bottle to take in with me. I wasn't feeling well this morning so I didn't put in terribly much effort into my appearance, but I still stuffed myself into work pants, a nice shirt, a pink cardigan, and ballet flats. I had my music on kind of loud, but nothing obnoxious. My driving playlist is starting to wear on me. It feels extra bland now. Just floating on the surface of indie rock so I can keep myself awake on drives. Here I was, driving to an office building in one of the local tech areas, listening to REM's Losing My Religion. Just another person, just another boring song on the stereo. I didn't even feel like me. I felt the way I always imagine Charlotte feels driving to work. I didn't feel quite as self-important, but I sure as hell felt like an adult. Not in a good way. I had to force the thought out of my mind before I started crying. I don't know what the hell I want, but I'm afraid that was the moment I realized that this isn't it. I watched my entire life flash by behind a desk. This feels like I'm walking headfirst into my worst nightmare. I can't turn down this opportunity or any others I currently have; I can't afford to. I have no choice but to keep going. But I don't have any energy anymore and I don't have any friends. Nowhere to be but work and home. So far, it's exactly what I was afraid of. I really fucking don't want this to be my life. God. I know I don't handle new things or big changes very well. Maybe I just need to adjust better. I don't know.

---

I forced myself to ignore that feeling, and I really shouldn’t have. I’m incredibly lucky to be in a position now where I can pay attention to my gut screaming at me that this isn’t what I want instead of forcing myself through it because I need the money that badly. it’s actually amazing how I knew from day one that that wasn’t where I wanted to be. I just ignored myself. I know a lot of people who force themselves into things they hate, because “that’s just life”, so they say. 

I still can’t quite place that feeling I had that morning. I thought I described it well when I wrote it out then, but it also had a twinge of I know this isn’t who I am. I felt like I was putting on a costume that didn’t fit, putting on a mask that I felt people could still see through. business casual still makes me cringe. I know I’m capable of being professional (obviously you have to have some degree of professionalism to be able to interface with clients, and I worked long enough in academia to know what to take seriously when), but that was all too much for me. that government job I was waiting on would’ve required me to wear that mask day in and day out and I know in my heart I couldn’t have done it. not for long. I would’ve ended up right where I ended up with my last job. I can’t take shit like that seriously for very long. I can’t be all business all the time. I broke the first rule the feds told me many times: don’t tell anyone where you’re applying. it’s a big deal that you keep that shit a secret, but maybe I’m just mentally in a state where I think government agencies and the things they do are kind of bullshit products of a society that thrives on fear. it didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me. but it’s a major thing to them. I’m just not that serious of a person I guess. 

I actually like being able to joke around sometimes with some clients, being able to talk to my coworkers about personal affairs without feeling like I’m going to get caught wasting precious time. I like feeling more relaxed, feeling like I’m getting things done rather than plodding through a neverending stream of word lists and ‘improvements’. being hands-on, even (hopefully soon) actually being able to get my hands dirty. this is the kind of person I’ve always been. I knew that, but I was scared to acknowledge it. where I live, it’s just expected that you’ll either move away or get some big-deal professional job like the one I had. growing up I thought that was what was expected of me, and I’d be a failure if I landed in anything ‘less’. I remember being a kid (can’t have been older than 5-6) and pretending to type on the keyboard on the computer we had in the basement. a little office lackey, just like mommy. I already saw that as my future and I didn’t know why. that was just What Adults Do. and I wasn’t given any other options. my mom never discouraged me, per se, but she would look pained when I’d talk to her about careers I was considering that weren’t “profitable”. I know she had the best intentions (and she’s not wrong, it’s really hard to get by at all if you can’t earn enough), but it hurt. I was never taught that I could make my passions work for me, if I loved them enough and wanted to pursue them enough. you just have to be able to be creative and market yourself right, which is a skill I unfortunately didn’t have. but the option was always there; I was just kind of pulled away from it. taught to stomach the “best” option, even if it wasn’t what I wanted. mom did; she stuck with jobs she hated too. if I had to suffer, you do too. 

it’s sad I’m only learning these things about myself now. or, rather, getting better acquainted with them and not shoving them down to be able to stomach things I feel like I have to do. I’m still worried about the financial aspect of all of it. but I honestly hit the lottery thanks to my dad. I feel like I can breathe. I remember in 2017 before I got that job I was so stressed; I had maybe 1-2k in my bank account that I’d managed to save up from the record store and my lab scholarship but it was going fast. I really did need whatever job I could get. that mindset left me in a pretty desperate position, which I think might be why I’m more comfortable just exploring my options now. more comfortable with saying, yeah, I can work as a receptionist for a bit, get some animal care experience, even if this isn’t where I want to be long-term. I don’t know what’s down the road, but I feel secure enough to give myself the time to think about it. imagine a world where everyone could say that.

I was stressing out last week about how I was afraid I was already burning out on this job; I was afraid I couldn’t see myself doing it for long. it can be hard to push through the days, and there’s still so much I don’t know. there’s so much to take in, sometimes it feels like I’ll never get a handle on all of it. but I know it takes time. I think it helps to know that now they’re going to even have me working another position in the clinic, rather than just reception. I’ll be able to be in the back, not really having to interface with clients, but getting to still work with the techs and doctors and being able to actually help with the animals. I’ll actually be on my feet and doing something hands-on, and that’s exciting. I want to learn proper restraint techniques and medication administration and all that. 

I need to work on reminding myself that, even on the bad days, the hard days, it’s still better than where I was. I feel so much more like a person at this job. I get to be a human being interacting with other human beings. that might be a weird thing to say, but it’s a drastic contrast between an office environment and a client-focused environment. we’re not trying to be the faceless, all-business-all-the-time developers of a product that just... performs a task. we’re people who care about the wellbeing of our clients’ pets. it’s an environment that demands human emotion. I think I’ve talked about my rats every day, just in stories to relate to clients. mostly how my boys also get super nervous when they have to go to the doctor, and did you know rats get the nervous-poops too?

I just have to hope that one of these days I’ll feel like I know myself a lot better, and I hope I’ll stay true to who I am going forward. I’ve only got this one life, I’m not about to waste it being so unhappy for money. I said that same thing before I started that last job and I felt kind of like a hypocrite, but I also felt like I was just going to have to force myself to be miserable forever, for money. that was my only option. I got a year’s worth of misery fresh out of college and I’m just glad I got it out of the way early. some lessons I guess you do have to learn the hard way. 

#blah blah #musings

[theworstbob]

yellin’ at songs: 4.1.2017, 3.31.2007

the songs that debuted on the billboard chart this week and ten years ago this week.

3.31.2007

42) "With Love," Hilary Duff

This was thoroughly unpleasant. Hold up, before I check Wikipedia, I'ma guess Kara DioGuardi was in on this one? I think I've listened to enough 2007 at this point that I can recognize Kara DioGuardi's trademark blechery in here. /checks the credits/ OH MY FUCKING GOD WHY IS SHE SO TRASH. Kara DioGuardi has written plenty of bad songs, including the two most disappointing songs I've heard as part of this project. She's given a credit on "Be Good to Me," which you'll recall was a travesty, and she's given a credit here, on this bad imitation of a Timbaland song. I won't do a Worst 10 or anything like that, because why would I think about things I don't like any longer than I have to, but I guarantee, there’d be multiple Kara DioGuardi joints on a Worst 10. I'm not going to look at her Wikipedia page, for the same reason other people find it difficult to watch Hannibal, but also to keep life full of surprises.

68) "Survivalism," Nine Inch Nails

a fun thing about listening to political songs from 2007 is how quaint they seem now. remember when the problems we have today were still problems but like 1% as bad as they are now? say what you will about dubya, he never flew into a rage on a saturday morning and accused bill clinton of wiretapping the texas rangers. there was some shit being pulled in 2007, like f’rinstance remember that one time the president suspended habeas corpus for undocumented immigrants? that was pretty unchill. but at least he wasn't gleefully racist. at least he didn't propose we spend billions of dollars to build a monument to racism.

76) "Get It Shawty," Lloyd

I didn't hate this! This song is incredibly 2007, but it's 2007 in a way that's somewhat timeless, if that makes any sense. Like, in 2014, I wrote about Nico & Vinz's "Am I Wrong?" that, yeah, there's a few things in there that will mark it as being from 2014, but if you wrote this song in any era, it could have blended in with that era's trends and styles with aplomb, and we would have loved it all the same. There's a lot here that's very 2007, but at its core, this song is kind of perfect, could have been released today and sound like a hit from today and still occupy the same space in my heart. It's like "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)," or Amerie's "One Thing," just a solid song which'll make you go "Oh yeah! This! I loved this!" when it comes on.

90) "You Know I'm No Good," Amy Winehouse ft./Ghostface Killah 91) "Rehab," Amy Winehouse

It is uncouth to speak ill of the dead. It is also uncouth to write that sentence in this context, prolly, but let us be known for what we are. I hope she's doing better. (That bass on "You Know I'm No Good," tho.)

94) "Beautiful Liar," Beyonce & Shakira

Listen, team, we need to talk about restraint for a second, because there are a thousand ways this project could have gone wrong. You get two superstars on the track together, there's absolutely the risk of putting something completely overcooked on the market, some showy vocal battle, but everything here is so understated. The Middle Eastern-y sound could have been laid on too thick, but it's doled out in this tiny, almost imperceptible dose, and that sets the tone for the rest of the track. No one belts anything, because it's understood that there's nothing to belt about, just a dumb boy that isn't worth the effort, and Beyonce and Shakira are compelling singers who don't NEED to be belting all the time to get the point across. This is such a fascinating song! You would expect a song from two titans to attempt to set fire to the world, but this merely simmers, doesn't even boil, just simmers, and it's an agreeable choice.

96) "Like This," Kelly Rowland ft./Eve

The synth track on this song kind of, kind of sounds like the main menu theme of Yoshi's Island, at least sounds close enough to Yoshi's Island that I can completely fuck with this, even if I think the drum track is kind of illogical. (Bob! you should be making jokes, what is this music criticism thing.) UGH FINE oh wow kelly rowland follow beyonce much. you know how like you two used to be in destiny's child but beyonce had a much more successful solo career. hey where's the michelle williams one. um, michelle williams much? that's a person also who was in destiny's child as well, also. she's very less successful! how about that! having fun living a full life and hopefully retiring early after having made smart investments with the money you made from your time in a popular music group? what a putz!

2007 Top 20 In Progress, Except Not Really, Because 2007 Is Kinda Over if You Haven’t Noticed? But I’m Still Ranking These Songs as I Go Because I Don’t Know What Else to Do. 20) "Outside Looking In," by Jordan Pruitt (2.24.2007) 19) "Like a Boy," by Ciara (3.17.2007) 18) "Grace Kelly," by MIKA (2.17.2007) 17) "Get it Shawty," by Lloyd (3.31.2007) 16) "Break 'Em Off," by Paul Wall ft./Lil' KeKe (3.10.2007) 15) "My Oh My," by The Wreckers (1.27.2007) 14) "Mr. Jones," by Mike Jones (1.27.2007) 13) "Settlin'," by Sugarland (2.17.2007) 12) "Movin' On," by Elliott Yamin (3.17.2007) 11) "U + Ur Hand," by P!nk (1.13.2007) 10) "Doe Boy Fresh," by Three 6 Mafia ft./Chamillionaire (1.20.2007) 9) "Beautiful Liar," by Beyonce & Shakira (3.31.2007) 8) "Cupid's Chokehold," by Gym Class Heroes ft./Patrick Stump (1.13.2007) 7) "The River," by Good Charlotte ft./M. Shadows & Synyster Gates (2.10.2007) 6) "Say OK," by Vanessa Hudgens (2.17.2007) 5) "Alyssa Lies," by Jason Michael Carroll (1.13.2007) 4) "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," by Jennifer Hudson (1.13.2007) 3) "Candyman," by Christina Aguilera (1.13.2007) 2) "Because of You," by Ne-Yo (3.17.2007) 1) "Dashboard," by Modest Mouse (2.17.2007) Jordan Pruitt, hanging on for one more week! Can she keep the miracle run near the bottom of the chart going? TUNE IN NEXT WEEK TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH I ENJOY “WHO KNEW.”

4.1.2017

14) "No Frauds," by Nicki Minaj, Drake, & Lil Wayne

This was a very boring song, most of which concerns a topic in which I'm not particularly invested? Like I guess it's kind of interesting to drop a diss track where you sound completely disinterested in the beef, the response is perfunctory and you're only responding because your opponent's name carries some weight and people'll give you shit if you completely ignore it. I’m down for a diss track where the participant is hella bored by this nonsense, but that probably wasn't the intended interpretation. I dunno. If there's one thing I learned from digging through just three months' worth of 2007 hits, it's that there are songs meant to be forgotten, and I have a feeling, if there is a 2027 and we're all still free, there's gonna be another obsessive white dude who's made poor life choices and poorer facial hair choices digging through the 2017 vaults, coming across this song, and realizing sometimes things are forgotten because they're forgettable.

61) "Regret in Your Tears," by Nicki Minaj

I'm of two minds on this. The first one doesn't think we put Nicki Minaj on this earth to make Drake songs. But also, I had a good time! It sounded inspiring, and the idea of a Nicki Minaj break-up song is so inherently interesting to me that I'd almost put it in the "down for this no matter what" category. I just think it could've been a touch more creative than "here's Nicki doing a sad song."

71) "Changed It," by Nicki Minaj & Lil' Wayne

That thing Nicki does at 1:45, "I am Billie Jean and the bitch is my SON," that's why we never stop believing. That's why we listen to this nonsense with entirely too much modern-day Lil' Wayne, because Nicki Minaj will ocassionally do things like that with her voice.

72) "Chanel," by Frank Ocean ft./A$AP Rocky

I DON'T KNOW WHY FRANK DECIDED TO START BEING BREEZY AND MAKE SONGS THAT ARE FUN TO LISTEN TO BUT I APPRECIATE THAT HE'S ZAGGIN' ON 'EM. It feels shitty to give this song a couple of spins and then form a loud all-capsable opinion about it, because that feels like giving the intricacy and depth of Frank Ocean's songs short shrift. But it's his own damn fault for making this song so breezy! It's not necessarily lighthearted, it's not like Frank Ocean is ever gonna take us to his happy place, but it's airy and soft (you know, soft, like air sometimes is), it feels good to just let these sounds envelop you, and I haven't quite yet figured out how to express what I love about the transition to Rocky's verse, but trust that I loved it. (Maybe this doesn't need to go up the date the chart drops?) nah, we’re good

78) "Liability," by Lorde

This feels like a song that's probably going to be really dope in the context of the album, where it can play the supporting role it is clearly meant to play, but as a standalone track, I dunno. It's definitely more interesting than the average piano-'n-strings song, you can really hear that Fun. sound clear as day. It's just not particularly substantive on its own. Though, I suppose if it's being released as a teaser, it performs the job admirably, giving just a hint of what the album could sound like. I'm stoked.

95) "Prblms," by 6LACK

sadness is not the only valid emotion. darkness cannot exist without light. fucking christ, you people won't listen to "Run Up," but you'll listen to a parade of fucking dudes bleat about how shitty their relationships are. i don't get it.

The 2017 Top 20, Which Actually Is in Progress! 20) "Regret in Your Tears," by Nicki Minaj (4.1) 19) "Way Down We Go," by Kaleo (1.14) 18) "Everyday," by Ariana Grande ft./Future (3.4) 17) "Light," by Big Sean ft./Jeremih (2.25) 16) "Draco," by Future (3.11) 15) "Guys My Age," by Hey Violet (2.11) 14) "Good Drank," by 2 Chainz ft./Gucci Mane & Quavo (2.11) 13) "Yeah Boy," Kelsea Ballerini (3.4) 12) "Selfish," by Future ft./Rihanna (3.18) 11) "Slide," by Calvin Harris ft./Frank Ocean & Migos (3.18) 10) "It Ain't Me," by Kygo x Selena Gomez (3.4) 9) "Now & Later," by Sage the Gemini (2.25) 8) "Shape of You," by Ed Sheeran (1.28) 7) "That's What I Like," by Bruno Mars (3.4) 6) "Chanel," by Frank Ocean ft./A$AP Rocky (4.1) 5) "Green Light," by Lorde (3.18) 4) "Run Up," by Major Lazer ft./PARTYNEXTDOOR & Nicki Minaj (2.18) 3) "Despacito," by Luis Fonsi ft./Daddy Yankee (2.4) 2) "Issues," by Julia Michaels (2.11) 1) "iSpy," by KYLE ft./Lil Yachty (1.14) “iSpy” is a freshly-minted Top 10 hit, and I’m so excited for that. Light the way forward, KYLE. Show the world it’s okay to be happy and make fun songs.

Who won the week?

Frank Ocean had the best individual song, and that is to be commended, but oh my stars does 2007 ever take it. “With Love” would sink weaker ships, but we had “Beautiful Liar” and “Get it Shawty” on this one, along with the Yoshi’s Island sounds and the bass line in an Amy Winehouse song. “Chanel” took to the seas with one pretty cool Nicki song, two bleh Nicki songs, fucking 6LACK, and a Lorde song not meant to live on its own. It falls to the bottom of the ocean, and future underwater anthropologists (prolly a thing?) will find it in the wreckage and ask how..

Official Standings 2007: 1 2017: 0 (it kinda won last week, but I’m not counting that as a win, because honestly that was more scouting report than battle.)

Rough week for 2017, but hey: Drake made a new thing! If nothing else, at least this week wasn’t that.