Liner Notes (February 11th, 2024)

This week’s newsletter has thoughts on new music, a few books I’ve been enjoying, and some good (and badly good) movies. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here. If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here. A Few Things * I had a weird feeling this week. I was listening to an MxPx album and enjoying a deep dive into one of my favorite band’s catalogs. And I started thinking about how these past few years have allowed me to reconnect with music in a way I thought was lost. I have written how it kicked off when I became obsessed with the last Turnstile album before, but it goes back to finally feeling free to love and listen to music unencumbered again. The shedding of AbsolutePunk allowed me to listen to music again without pressure without pretense. I had spent the last few years feeling like the stress of the website, the pain of the industry as a whole, and how much running that website felt like an unfun job had zapped the joy of just listening to music from me. I unconsciously rebelled against that. And putting that behind me has allowed the passion, the fun, the love for music to come back naturally. I can put on an old album without feeling the pressure that I should be listening to or trying to find the next new thing. I can spend a week just diving into an old favorite and feel free to spend as much time with that band as I want. It’s felt like I’ve found myself again, found my fandom for music again. In Case You Missed It * Review: Yellowcard / Hammock – A Hopeful Sign * Incubus Announce New Tour * Matt Skiba on Mark Hoppus’s Radio Show * Taylor Swift Announces New Album * Emery and The Almost Announce Tour * Paramore Share New Grammy Statement * Dustin Kensrue Announces New Album * 2024 Grammy Awards: Complete Winner List * Taylor Swift Announces Track Listing * Albums in Stores – Feb 9th, 2024 Music Thoughts * The big new release for the week was Yellowcard’s collaboration album with Hammock. It’s a reimagining of some of the band’s classics and some deep cuts, and I’ve been enthralled with it for over a month now and am excited for everyone to be able to hear it. It’s gorgeous. There’s a haunting melancholy running throughout, perfectly transforming the songs. There have been many evenings where this has been what I turn to as the night is winding down. The familiarity of the songs mixed with the new arrangements to paint a perfect soundtrack to a late winter night. Coming back with that fantastic EP and now this? It feels like a great time to be a Yellowcard fan. * Dustin Kensrue announced a new solo album. The entire album is very much in the vein of this song. It’s leaning into the alt-country meets folksy sound, closer to Please Come Home than Carry the Fire. I could probably listen to Dustin sing the phonebook (do those still exist?), and I’d be happy, so this will grab quite a few plays from me over the next few months. It’s also got me itching for the next Thrice album. * Cold Years also announced the new album and the first single. I’ve only listened to the single once so far because I want to wait to hear it in the context of the full album. It sounds very Cold Years, and the album is right there at the very top of my most anticipated for the year. Easily one of the best bands doing it right now, and with every new release, if there were any justice in the music industry, these guys would catch on and blow up. As of now, they’re one of the best-kept music secrets out there. * The rest of my week was spent revisiting some old friends. There was a lot of MxPx and quite a bit of Death Cab for Cutie and Coldplay rounding it out. Both are well suited for cold, gray mornings with just a hint of rain on the ground. I’ve come to appreciate Coldplay’s Ghost Stories even more over the years. I don’t usually think of it when I think of the best Coldplay albums, but then, every time I listen to it again, I… https://chorus.fm/features/articles/liner-notes-february-11th-2024/

Deep Dive - Scheherazade ***PSON SPOILERS***

First, I have to point out how much I love how classically villainous Malcolm’s loft is. I just have to point out that the décor – the red felt – the weaponry…it all screams ‘villain.’ That along with the fact that he’s often seen in dark/black clothing (even down to his latex gloves which are also usually black) is just…perfection.

That aside, getting into the episode...how Eve handled her meeting with Martin was also perfection. It’s a good thing she didn’t walk into that situation alone, because I believe, if Malcolm hadn’t been there…Martin would have flown completely off the handle. (To a degree, I think he behaves for his boy because he’s unwilling to risk losing him entirely) You can see moments in which he very nearly loses his cool, repeatedly looking over at Mr. David – knowing that if he tilts off his axis it’ll probably just mean sedation and solitary, which won’t give him any room to make progress and regain the puppet strings. The way he also calls after his boy as he was moving to leave, truly shows his desperation. Malcolm uses it to his advantage, holding his visits with Martin as collateral for the truth. The restlessness that has been building within Martin is reaching a peak. His frustration is palpable.

I find it particularly fascinating that it took the ‘traumatic’ encounter with Eve for Martin to begin having flashbacks about the murder. I truly believe they were flashbacks and not just him reaching for memories. Which begs the question…just how much does he compartmentalize? Are all of his murderous escapades locked away in some box in his brain that he tries not to open, as if the more he returns to them, the faster they’ll fade?

He clearly connects with the event through music – the song “Operator.” (It’s especially ironic because the phone is largely Martin’s only connection to the outside world.) In the song, Jim Croce’s lyrics say “Operator, well, let’s forget about this call. There’s no one there I really wanted to talk to,” which is an obvious lie. The singer does want to talk, desperately – just as Martin wants to talk – desperately. “I’ve overcome the blow, I’ve learned to take it well. I only wish my words could convince myself that it just wasn’t real, but that’s not the way it feels.” So why those lyrics? That song? By the end of the episode, Martin is indeed more… “fine” than he had been at the beginning. He even succeeded in spinning Eve off on her own search and getting her away from Malcolm (after all, he needs Bright to be isolated to have full control over him). “I think about the love that I thought would save me.” Could anything truly have saved Martin or Malcolm or Eve or the victim from any of this?

In the end, when Eve is leaving…Malcolm mirrors that same desperation that Martin had, begging Eve to stay, telling her that she needs him. And of course, “Operator” plays once more as she leaves.We’ve learned much more about the infamous camping trip. Apparently, Watkins stabbed Martin, and Malcolm stabbed Watkins. So…Malcolm came to his father’s rescue? What made Watkins turn on Martin? We also see Martin interacting with a victim. He even apologizes that she hadn’t gotten the ‘care she deserved,’ which was odd and creepy. So, she tries to talk her way out by giving him a bigger fish to fry. But does it really work? Or did he kill her regardless? In the last episode he revealed that his key to lying was believing the lie. Could he fool Malcolm by giving 90% of a truth and 10% of a lie? Was his breaking her free and extending his hand just a ploy so that he could pull her up and snap her neck? I find it hard to believe that he’d simply…let her go. She knows who he is. He would just leave a loose end like that? He’s an unreliable narrator in my opinion, so I wouldn’t go shutting the book on anything regarding his actions.

All we know now is that Eve is gone – for the moment – and Jessica’s getting too close to a man who is clearly dangerous. There’s no way Martin could ever warn her, she would write it off as jealousy and wouldn’t listen. And Martin tells Malcolm he’s being a good father – protecting him. But how can he protect his boy from this bigger, more terrifying monster if he’s behind bars? It’s obvious that Malcolm is going to have to go after this big fish to save his mom…unless of course Martin figures out a way to kill him or stop him himself. Which brings us to the promo for next week, but in the spirit of not giving anything away, I won’t touch that. Also "SHE STRUCK ME," yelled indignantly into the phone at his ex-wife wasn't Martin's best moment. 

And then there were the other important moments – the tension between “Jess” (that bit out nickname echoed back to Gil) and Nick. Gil saving Malcolm’s life, tackling him in the same manner Edrisa did in the previous ep. And then there was Edrisa’s implying that Bright is the most beautiful man in NY… came off a bit too creepy (are the writers setting her up to be a stalker? I hope not because I’d like her to remain the valuable team member she is).

---Random tangent: I also found it surprising that Malcolm could have taken ballet for five years without Gil knowing. I thought he was closer to the family than that… I’d like more background about when he started to really befriend Malcolm and Jessica, etc. Also…Malcolm goes on about how ballet dancers train themselves not to feel pain. Since Mal took ballet for five years, does this include him? Is he capable of hiding more of his emotions than he lets on? He certainly lets people see ‘enough’ of his vulnerability to appear sincere, but what if he’s able to hide a darker side? Just a fun thought. ---

Maybe one of the tropes of the episode was that “no one steps to the lioness” but the bigger lion is Nick, and Martin must be feeling pretty helpless at this point. He’s really going to have to switch gears and do something drastic (pls see "Crazy Things that Could Happen") A storm is brewing, that’s for sure. Who knows what Nick’s machinations involve. He clearly has a plan or he wouldn’t have begun flirting with Jessica and pulling her into his sphere.

My closing thought (sorry this was so long) is that I believe Martin will put himself in some sort of sacrificial position for Malcolm to ensure that his boy will be…indebted...to him in some way. If he can stop Nick and come out looking like the martyr…well…it would be the ultimate narcissist move and it would ensure that Malcolm would never be able to ‘move on’ from him. Not that I believe he ever could anyway.

All I know is…I feel a Martin Whitly prison break coming on. At least I hope so.

*Crazy things my brain cooked up about what could happen next* Martin breaks out of Claremont Nick kidnaps Malcolm Nick uses Malcolm as a pawn to get Martin to do XYZ Martin kills someone...a guard?... in Claremont to get transferred Nick orchestrates Martin killing someone in Claremont in front of Mal Martin kills Nick Nick has enough $$ and power to throw Martin down a hole he can't crawl out of Nick frames Malcolm for something to get him off his back Nick kidnaps both Malcolm and Martin - Eve comes to Mal's rescue, which means also rescuing Martin Martin escapes and kidnaps Mal after taking Nick out Nick hurts Jessica in some way and gets the holy wrath of either Gil or Martin or both Martin escapes and kidnaps Nick Martin escapes and kidnaps Eve TGITB is in fact alive and comes to Eve's rescue or is at least on screen at some point (I hope...but would that give the season too much of an air of finality? I mean...we do want six seasons and a musical afterall)

Something Stupid

Another cold, dangerous night in Gotham looms outside of Anita & Jason's apartment. Almost finishing an essay, Anita hears music and footsteps coming from the living room. Jason shouldn't be home right now, let alone in his PJ's lighting candles and filling wine glasses. Just what is he up to? Song: ‘Something Stupid’ by Frank Sinatra Soooooo @symeona​ is an angel and commissioned me this beautiful piece. It got me so inspired I just had to write a fic for it. It’s on my AO3 but here’s a smexy tumblr version for y’all. If you enjoy, lemme know :3 I’m always so nervous showing off my OC’s; especially Anita. ----- It takes three clinks on the inside of Anita's mug of freshly brewed tea for her to hear music playing in the living room. The record player had been purchased just before her faithful trip to Hong Kong. When Jason had found it, he had quietly shuffled in a large box of vinyls from one of his more frequented safe houses.

"I stole them from Bruce." He had said with so much pride Anita couldn't help but snort.

"Ah yes, your greatest evil act to date, Hun. Stealing the Bats music collection." Jay had thrown a pillow her way from his seated position near the coffee table.

The next he spoke was after blowing some dust off a Billy Joel cover. "I'll have you know he was very depressed by it."

Anita bit her lip, God he was such a dork. But she could do him one better: "You could say he was stuck listening to the Blues."

Silence. Then, a deep laugh came from his chest and a large hand beckoned her closer.

"Oh my god, shut up and help me pick a record."

Anita giggled at the memory. It was only 3 months ago that Jason had moved in, but it felt like the two had been living in this small, scholarship paid apartment for 3 years. It was nice to have him with her, she still remembered how scared she was asking him to move in. Walking out of the kitchen with her mug, Anita contemplated between the two doors before her.

The one on the left housed her almost complete essay. She was a week ahead of this assignment as she always was. But the right door seemed much more tempting. Especially with music and Jason's shuffling footsteps hiding behind it.

Upon entering, Anita was met with a living room lit by small candles and Frank Sinatra's voice wistfully fading away to give space for a new song. Jay was in his usual bed t-shirt and cotton, red plaid pants. His hair was tousled artfully and blue eyes shining bright as he fluffed the pillows on their couch. He was obviously acting out some plan of his, she could never mistake that happy look.

Anita leant by the doorframe for a while, Jason was humming softly and kept looking at the back of the slip the vinyl came out of, trying to find the song he was after. Right now, he should've been in his Red Hood gear; getting ready to come into the study and give Anita a sweet kiss before leaping out the bedroom window.

This week had been a run-around for the Red Hood; being in good graces with his family meant more crime to fight and more accomplices to be alongside. Which meant Anita and Jason hadn't spent much time together besides the few moments in the morning before university and the moments after dinner where Jason would prep for patrol.

So, to see Jason fiddling with his shirt and a few wine glasses made it hard for her not to giggle softly. Alerted to her presence, Jason whipped his head up from the coffee table and gave her a big smile, his ears tinting slightly at being caught.

"Didn't hear you come in, Angel. Want a glass?" He gestured, but quickly pursed his lips when spotting her mug.

"After this tea, handsome." Anita met Jay at the coffee table, then grabbed a candle from it, reading the label with a laugh. "Jelly?"

Jay shrugged and wrapped his arms around Anita's soft, cotton-covered waist. "I thought you'd like it." He admitted softly in the shell of her ear, leaving a soft kiss on her neck then her jaw. Anita sighed softly, feeling so warm in his arms, “I do, but I thought you were patrolling tonight?"

Jason pressed their foreheads together, running his hands up and down her waist, scrunching up his shirt she had decided would be hers for tonight. After a few more squeezes he sheepishly responded: "Well I realized we hadn't celebrated your EP release yet." Anita couldn't help but smile at Jay. Oh, how he made her heart melt.

"Jay, I told you it was nothing major."

"But it is!" Jay pulled away in exasperation, Frank Sinatra was now in a crescendo as he walked back over to the record player.

"Gotham's important, Jay." Anita mused as she watched him play with the needle again.

"So are you, and I'd argue much more than Gotham." Then he put the needle down and stood straight, slowly walking over to Anita with a smile, the glint back in his eyes.

"Now, will you do me the honour of a dance?"

Anita smirked; Jason rarely ever danced. Even at her shows, he was the drink and talk type. Or the drink and make sure his 5’5 girlfriend didn't start a smack down in the club type.

'I know I stand in line until you think you have the time to spend an evening with me. And if we go someplace to dance, I know that there's a chance you won't be leaving with m e.'

Flipping her hair back, Anita waggled a finger for him to come closer. "You better not hold back, Jay." She said taking another sip of her tea.

"When do I ever?" He teased before wrapping both of his strong arms around her body and dipping her back.

'Then afterwards we'd drop into a quiet little place and have a drink or two. And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I love you'

"Jay, my tea!"

"Hush mademoiselle. Let the music and my embrace take you."

Anita and Jay began spinning and laughing. The wine and weird smelling candles forgotten as they enjoyed the song and each other’s company. It was these moments Jay loved the most. Because she was in them. His love, his angel. Once she started singing, he couldn't help but join her.

‘The time is right your perfume fills my head'

He spins her.

'The stars get red and oh the night's so blue'

Then draws her close. Anita leans up and kisses Jason's nose. Their eyes crinkle in joy, the idea of patrol and essays far out of reach.

'And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I love you'

Lost in one another.

'I love you'

The dance is done and Jay dives in for a kiss.

'I love you'

He can taste the tea in her mouth and Anita only just now smells his cologne, now that's something she'd want in a candle.

'I love you'

Top 10 Albums of 2019

Okay, since there are quite a few albums on this list I’m going to make my reviews a little smaller, which is sad because they’re already small but if anyone wants a detailed review of a whole album, just let me know and I’d be happy to dive deep into the album or song or EP. Anyway, let’s get started since this is practically the same as my Top EPs of 2019, but instead it’s albums, so I don’t have to give a detailed intro.

10. Singular Act II by Sabrina Carpenter

Okay, to start off we have Sabrina Carpenter’s second act of her Singular project and it’s on this list so that means that I enjoyed it, BUT I would have liked more songs like Exhale or even Pushing 20. By that I mean that I would have liked her other songs to have more lyrics and not just repeating the same words over and over again. I guess I just wanted more vulnerable songs from Sabrina but I still love the album. My favourite song is by far Exhale. (Who saw that coming?) 

9. Once Upon a Mind by James Blunt

For this one I didn’t even know James Blunt was making new music this year and was surprised when I found out he released Cold and then a whole album. James Blunt’s voice just makes me really happy because it’s super unique and calming, but most of his songs sound the same. That’s fine if your in the mood for it, but I’m not always in the mood for it. I can say though that most of his songs make me want to get up and dance with him and I like how he uses real instruments in his songs and almost always has a guitar playing. My favourite song is probably Monsters followed closely by The Greatest. 

8. Was It Even Real? by Olivia O’Brien

Olivia O’Brien is another new artist that I really fell in love with this year. She is really good at writing songs, and her voice is very uniquely hers which I like. She doesn’t try to be something she’s not which really shows and makes her even more special. That being said, I do miss her old songs that did sound a little bit more mainstream and softer, not as sharp as her new songs. This album is also filled with sadness and anger which can get exhausting at a point, but when the album first came out, I couldn’t stop listening to it. My favourite song is the last song that leaves the album on a happier note with Love Myself which is all about trying to accept who you are, which really hit a heartstring and I loved that.

7. YOU by James Arthur

I also wasn’t ready for this album and didn’t even know it came out until months later. I’ve really loved James Arthur’s voice for a while, but I just never really committed to loving him until I heard this album and instantly knew I needed it. I really love both his upbeat songs and his slower songs equally which doesn’t always happen with me. I usually just fall for the slow songs, but that really changed in this album where the first half is more upbeat and the second half is slower, but I love them both so much. His songs are all really well done with the music really complimenting his voice well. Even though I really love his upbeat songs, my favourite song is still a slower one, Quite Miss Home that just gives me shivers every time I listen to it.

6. Romance by Camila Cabello

For this album I’ve already done a song by song review when it first came out in the beginning of December so if your interested in that, it’s under December 2019 song review on my post list. I really love this album and I’m so happy how many happy songs there are because that essentially means that Camila’s happy which makes me happy. I’ve loved Camila Cabello since Fifth Harmony and was obsessed with her first solo album and she really just keeps growing and growing. Honestly she’s my favourite from Fifth Harmony and I was very excited when she left them to pursue her solo career. My favourite song is First Man which made me cry the first couple times I heard it. 

5. A Place We Knew by Dean Lewis

I first found out about Dean Lewis when he released Waves and I loved it. Then I kept forgetting about him until his new songs popped up on my YouTube feed. I became really obsessed with Be Alright when it first came out and finally kept him on my radar and was ready when his album dropped. Many of his songs do sound the same, but his songwriting skills are quite good while the songs that do stand out are really out of this world. I love so many of his songs, which is why the albums at number five, but the best one is definitely Half a Man which really is beautiful and vulnerable and raw. 

4. Lover by Taylor Swift

This album was the only one that really surprised me this year. All the other albums that I knew were coming out I had high expectations for but not this one. I’m not a Swift fan and really didn’t love her last couple albums and miss her old country youth. But when Lover came out I had to try it out because it’s Taylor Swift, and I was very surprised on how many songs I loved on this album. I thought I would only like at most three or four songs on the album, but I love 90 percent of it. She’s an amazing songwriter which I’ve always known but on this album the songs sound good AND are beautifully written. It’s been a while since I could say that with confidence about Taylor Swift. My favourite song is Cornelia Street which I loved since I first heard it, but I have to also mention Soon You’ll Get Better which made me bawl the first couple times I heard it. 

3. World War Joy by The Chainsmokers 

When Closer was released and took the world by storm I found both The Chainsmokers and Halsey. I will be forever grateful for that, since now Halsey is my second favourite artist of all time, and The Chainsmokers are in my top ten. When The Chainsmokers released their album Memories… Do Not Open, I fell in love with them. I was not disappointed with this album. They are amazing creators and they are just getting better. Every song on this album is good and most of them are great. My favourite is Kills You Slowly which is one of only two songs that they don’t have a feature, which are usually my favourite by them. 

2. The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change by Nina Nesbitt

I found out about Nina Nesbitt on YouTube through her music videos for both The Moments I’m Missing and The Best You Had. I loved the songs but didn’t buy them on iTunes because I was still unsure about her. That was two years ago, and I kept her on my radar. I’m glad I did. When she started to release more singles from her upcoming album, I was impressed. And then her album dropped and I listened to her story. Now her album is my second favourite of the year. She’s an amazing songwriter and singer and with everything she's been through in the music industry, she came back stronger than ever. The whole concept of the album is about always looking forward and knowing that things will get better when it doesn’t feel that way. I can’t even say for sure which one song is my favourite from the album so I’ll name a few: Empire, Is It Really Me Your Missing, Last December, Things I Say When You Sleep, The Moments I’m Missing, The Best You Had, and The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change. 

1. No.6 Collaborations Project by Ed Sheeran

Now this isn’t a surprise. Anything Ed Sheeran does, I’ll love. This project is no exception. I love how Ed Sheeran just does things he wants to and doesn’t care about fitting into the norm. His songwriting is purely him and the impact he’s had on the music industry is important. He doesn’t worry about what people think about him which is a hard thing to do. I love so many songs on this album including Beautiful People, Best Part of Me, Antisocial, Put It All On Me, and Way To Break My Heart. Ed Sheeran is my favourite artist and songwriter ever and I don’t think that will ever change.

That concludes my favourite albums of 2019.

Until next time!

~Rose Reviews

S4 So Far: Fucking Why? A take on the use of emotions and romance as a character development/narrative device compared to past seasons

OK so I literally only slept 3 hours last night after watching the eps, and it was a shitty 3 hours, so apologies if anything is jumbled or incoherent. This post is about why Season 4 as a whole (at least with the character relationships overall, not just romance and not just Starco) feels to me like such a gigantic and unnecessary fundamental writing/focus shift compared to past seasons (especially 1 and 2, but also 3).

Curse was... obviously just a slap in the face, a full descent into “will-they-won’t-they” for no purpose other than dragging it out, since it CONFIRMED that Star and Marco have true mutual love for each other and basically directly stated to the audience in the dance that, no, this isn’t because of the curse, it’s genuine, but decided more love polyhedra and suspense and drama were needed. NOTE THAT I FULLY ADMIT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR FEELINGS ARE REAL, THEIR DANCE HIGHLY AFFECTED ME, AND IT WAS A VERY STRONG EMOTIONAL MOMENT. I’m not trying to imply that it meant absolutely nothing, not at all, I’m more talking about its purpose in the narrative than the emotions it contained as an isolated scene when I say “it had no purpose other than to drag things out.” Not sure exactly where we go from here, but I know Starco’s still endgame, and I also know that the route there is gonna be at least some level of disappointment to me. No way around that, but I think it’s worth looking at the rest of the season to dig into what just feels different in a bad way, because it’s really not just Curse. I feel like half the fandom is freaking out simply over just the fact that they claimed they didn’t feel anything anymore, and worrying about the suspense and drama over whether Starco would still happen at all, but that reaction is the goal of will-they-won’t-they, it’s why it works and why so few stories bother going beyond it, and I hate that. The point I want to tackle and criticize isn’t “I’m worried Starco won’t happen!” but rather a look at the overall handling of characters and relationships in the show narratively.

Let’s start with a look back on earlier seasons. I should hope that anyone could agree watching the first 2 seasons that Star and Marco’s relationship was very strongly built on a foundation of emotional intimacy, honesty, supporting each other and understanding each other, etc. Even if you’re not a Starco shipper, even if you’re anti-Starco as a couple and see them as entirely platonic, this much at least should hopefully be agreeable to everyone, because it’s like 80% of what the show contained until the middle of S2 actually got some plot going. Once we get into season 3, it becomes a lot more contentious among the fans, but there’s still a lot of this same stuff. Yes, Star and Marco spend less screentime together, but the majority of moments they share feel special, and have a strong emotional core with moments between them. Toffee, Lint Catcher, Sweet Dreams (sort of), Night Life, Deep Dive, Marco Jr., Booth Buddies, Divide/Conquer - every single one of these had a clear focus on why Star and Marco’s relationship, specifically, was important and special to them, and what made them work so well as a pair. Not just “they go on an adventure together to accomplish a goal.” Granted, not EVERY single episode in any season was like this, all three of the past seasons did have episodes that were just the basic adventure, but this was still an overall important part of the pacing of the show even if not omnipresent. And yes, absolutely, other characters had meaningful emotional moments and bonds with each other as well. Bonbon provided payoff on a genuine emotional honesty that Marco had been building up with Jackie in Sleepover and Naysaya, not just romance for romance’s sake but feeling like it had a purpose, it made total sense why Marco and Jackie had feelings for each other and why they did to some extent work together. Demoncism for Tom and Star was another such moment, capitalizing in some part on Star’s heartbreak, yes, but still serving as a turning point with a genuine purpose to both their characters as they tried to take steps forward as people first, and they bonded over that. Similarly, Is Another Mystery built off of Monster Bash for Tomstar and specifically Tom’s issues with caring about others. Things flowed as a whole across the season, even if not in a way that involved Star and Marco constantly on screen together.

Now let’s look at S4 as a whole thus far. As far as Starco is concerned... what moments like this have we had? When has their relationship been clearly special to them as a normal part of their day to day lives and not just in some epic WOW moment? I guess the end of Follies, and the hug in Ransomgram if you squint just a little bit, but even then, the actual emotional core of that episode really didn’t have anything to do with Star and Marco’s relationship with each other specifically. All their other episodes are just very basic “Star and Marco perform an activity for some episodic plot purpose” with no heart or soul put into their dynamic itself. Then we get to Curse, where apparently Marco’s feelings for Star are so strong that he’s constantly beside himself with emotion over them, and Star’s for Marco obvious enough that even dense as fuck Tom knows. In any past season, these things would’ve been firmly built up over the course of meaningful Star and Marco moments across a handful of segments leading up to it, so... why not now? We had a single tangential reference to it on Star’s end in Lake House Fever, and Marco saying how hard it’s been in Kelly’s World immediately beforehand, and that’s it. Not to mention that Marco apparently has budding feelings for Kelly (despite not having had any meaningful emotional moments with her Lava Lake Beach, a full season ago), after only one episode in Season 4. Bonbon had Sleepover and Naysaya for Jarco, Demoncism had Club Snubbed for Tomstar, what did Kelly’s World have? To me, right now, it feels like emotions/romance in teen relationships in the show 180′d overnight from a genuine part of their day to day lives and interactions that ebb and flow naturally and subtly to “le epic shipping drama with blushes and handholding to get people’s feely-weely uwuing to the max and ready to tune in for more,” and this feels like a HUGE departure from the storytelling method of literally everything before Season 4.

EDIT: Let’s not ignore Curse itself either, though. The idea of destiny vs free will, and Star and Marco choosing to be with each other on their own terms entirely is cool on paper. Issue is, LITERALLY NOTHING IN THE SHOW UP TO THIS POINT HAS GIVEN OFF THE IDEA THAT IT’S MAGICALLY FORCED. Many fans postulated it, but the show never brought it up as a problem to be handled later, and put explicit care into all their developments being entirely natural. The “Blood Moon Curse” was a problem with very little buildup in the narrative, created specifically to start an arc that as an isolated thing seems fine, but ends up just fucking with what they’d already developed and delays the outcome more and more.

Maybe, best case scenario, all of this is just kind of wonky pacing for no clear reason, the show is known to fuck that up even at its best, but the overall progression will still be kind of fine. Maybe we fairly quickly enter an arc where they try to live their new lives, free of feelings, and they allow themselves to get closer to each other without reservation because they think the feelings are gone and begin to find genuine joy and happiness in their relationship (as a result of the love which is still there, but the placebo effect that they think it’s gone makes them open themselves up to it after seasons of trying to hide from it). Maybe this results in Kellco not really going anywhere, with like one episode of them trying to make it work and failing because Marco’s heart still isn’t in it, and Tomstar also breaking up because they both finally accept that even the Blood Moon going away didn’t change anything, and we’re still set for a Big Moment somewhere around Cornonation-Beach Day to be Star and Marco fully accepting and recognizing their love, on their own terms, with every bit of denial and every obstacle behind them, giving us at the VERY least a handful of segments before the end to showcase some day-to-day canon Starco, show why it works for them and why it makes them so happy, and to show Tom (and Kelly too, maybe?) being OK with the situation and finding fulfillment in it themselves. Then the series finale could be the final push for Starco, from “our feelings are real and we want to pursue them without any doubts” to “I want to spend the rest of my life with you”. I’d still overall call this a lot of unnecessary drama and dragging, and still highly question everything about these first 8 episodes that I did, but I can’t deny there IS a symbolic/narrative benefit for Curse here. It could serve as an important milestone where Star and Marco finally put the heartbreak and hurt their feelings cause behind them once and for all, which is sort of what a lot of people thought it would be anyway, and if things still move forward quickly as part of an arc then it would still perhaps accomplish something meaningful and not just dragging for drama.

Or maybe the rest of the season will largely follow the pattern of what we’ve had thus far, with everything through Cornonation being almost devoid of anything special in relationships, just showing characters interacting normally without any real developments, Star and Marco spending time together and Tomstar and Kellco being almost entirely background, with maybe one segment apiece just for fun. Then Beach Day could be a Big Ship™ episode that compresses all the lack of emotion into one giant over-the-top romantic episode where they finally start realizing “huh after the last 8 episodes of our normal friendship, guess we do actually still maybe feel something special after all” and then the breakup(s) happen afterwards as a result of “welp guess it won’t work, it’s been fun” with the series finale being when Star and Marco finally get to say “YES AFTER ALL THIS I NOW REALIZE I LOVE YOU” and kissing once and that’s the end of the show. Which still would be satisfying if for NO other reason than the first 3 seasons lingering in my mind, I still will almost certainly love Starco as a whole no matter what. But holy mother of fuck this would be the dumbest shit ever, a complete reversal on how they’ve always handled everything, for seemingly no other purpose than because they wrote themselves into a corner where they wanted to force Starco to only be series finale, but they also made it so strong in the first 3 seasons that its natural progression would make it canon before then so they had to fuck with it, and would make me almost regret being anything more than a casual appreciator of the show.

So all in all I’m still, for the time being, at least willing to see where it goes I guess, because Star and Marco are still firmly embedded in my heart even if the show’s handling of them in this final stretch turns out to disappoint me in almost every way imaginable. Unless things TRULY go to shit, I have some plans for some fanworks post-canon that will, if nothing else, help me and maybe some of you make peace with the potential the show will likely waste in rising above romcom drama to portray Starco actually blossoming into a fully happy and healthy canon romantic relationship to rule them all. But I will almost definitely not be staying up into the morning watching and freaking out about episodes, if the show is going to appeal to the lowest common denominator of casual romance drama, I suppose I need to become a casual viewer to compensate.

Album & EP Recommendations

Album of the Week: Draw Down the Moon by Foxing

I must admit I was quite late to the Foxing party, having only been introduced to them a couple of years ago. However, after an extensive deep dive into their back catalogue I was immediately sucked in by their blend of alternative, post-punk and emo, as well as frontman Conor Murphy’s gut-punching lyrics and raw, gravelly vocals. With their last album Nearer My God, I’d noticed the band had started experimenting slightly with their sound, introducing synths and generally more expansive instrumental passages. That said, the experimentation on that record pales in comparison with what the band shoot for on Draw Down the Moon.

With this new record, Foxing have cut off the chains, sounding notably more upbeat as they bounce between genres, almost unrecognisable from the melancholic outfit that produced their first two records. This new direction certainly isn’t a bad thing though, as Draw Down the Moon offers a rich and ambitious project that ultimately makes for an enchanting listen. Across the album’s concise 39-minute runtime, Foxing frequently swing for the fence sonically - and most of the time they hit a home run.

Opener 737 begins as a gentle and melodic acoustic number, as Conor Murphy vulnerably sings of not being able “to do this alone.” It meanders along sweetly, before eventually erupting in the final third, transforming into a jarring screech of guitars and scream vocals. It’s quite the sit-up-and-listen start, which soon segues into their fantastic recent single Go Down Together. This track couldn’t be more different to the first, with Foxing discovering their lighter side on this incredibly funky and catchy pure pop moment. This opening pair of tracks sets up the rest of the album wonderfully, letting the listener know early on that the trio are here to have some fun and play around with lots of new ideas – and they’re going to sound great doing it.

Elsewhere, there are plenty of career best moments to be found, such as the infectious galloping beat of Where The Lightning Strikes Twice, the intoxicating pulse of Bialystok, as well as the genre-bending madness and distorted vocoder vocals of If I Believed In Love. There’s also a haunting stripped-back moment with At Least We Found The Floor, a track that had me googling to check whether or not Matt Berninger from The National was helping out on backing vocals – he’s not, but he may as well have been, such is the likeness.

However, it is easily the closing track - Speak With The Dead - that offers the album’s undisputed highlight. It is a sublime yet heartbreaking 7-minute epilogue about longing to communicate with friends, family members and loved ones who have passed away. It also sees Murphy throw his final lyrical gut-punch as he achingly belts out at the 2:30 mark:

“And in my dreams I’m on a porch with you, I promise you I've been doing well in your name and I won’t try to speak with you again - until I watch my last breath dissipate.”

Shortly after that, the song breaks out into a soaring guitar solo, before fading to black on a wave of ambient synths and distorted vocals.

It’s safe to say it’s an utterly stunning and just a beautifully crafted closer to what is a very creative and accomplished fourth album from Foxing. Taken plenty of sonic risks that nearly always pay off, it is a fascinating front-to-back listen, culminating in the mesmerising final track that leaves a strong lasting impression.

Listen to Draw Down The Moon here

King’s Disease II by Nas

Having set the standard so high with his now classic debut Illmatic, Nas throughout his career has struggled to hit a consistent run of good form. The hip-hop legend has often showed signs of returning to his best, only to then follow it up with yet another mixed bag. However, with last year’s King’s Disease, Nas delivered some of his best work for years and amazingly landed the New-York rapper his first ever Grammy for Best Rap Album. Seemingly buoyed by this success, Nas has returned almost exactly a year later with the album’s sequel – and its undoubtedly one of his best.

At a time where US rap music is flooded with repetitive, bloated trap records, Nas has delivered a vintage hip-hop record of the like they just don’t make anymore. Showing that he can still be a master storyteller when he chooses to be, Nas delivers powerful, well-written bars over Hit-Boy’s soulful beats and polished production. Although joined by fellow legends the stature of Eminem, Charlie Wilson and Ms. Lauryn Hill, the features are decidedly sparse by comparison to other recent rap records, as a fully focussed Nas seems content to reign as the star of his own show.

Overall, this is not just a step up from the first King’s Disease record, but more importantly a sizeable upgrade on most of Nas’ recent output. In a year where UK rap music is pushing boundaries and delivering astonishing records, it is great to hear one of the genre’s Stateside stalwarts fire back strong as well. Perhaps Return of the King might’ve been a more fitting name!

Listen to King’s Disease II here

Pop Culture Radio by Bloxx

And finally on the EPs front, Uxbridge outfit Bloxx released a new 4-track project this week, their first new music since last year’s impressive full-length debut, Lie Out Loud. Packed with killer hooks, glistening guitar riffs and a shimmering pop sheen, these are some of Bloxx’s best tracks-to-date, headlined by the mightily infectious title track and the anthemic Emily.

Listen to Pop Culture Radio here

Tracks of the Week

Take My Breath (Extended Version) by The Weeknd

I must admit when I first heard The Weeknd’s latest single on Friday, marking the start of the new post-After Hours era, I was left underwhelmed. The 2-minute teaser that had proceeded the single had a notably more electronic vibe to it, whereas the single that eventually arrived just felt like more of the same. However now released as an extended cut with the runtime increased from 3.5 minutes to nearly 6, the full glorious picture has been revealed with Abel jumping effortlessly between the pulsating electronica that had been teased, as well as disco and radio-friendly pop.

Listen to Take My Breath here

Parallel Kingdom by Hayden Thorpe

A track that I inexplicably missed out from last week’s roundup, Ex-Wild Beasts frontman Hayden Thorpe has delivered another a new single and the latest taste of his forthcoming second solo album, Moondust for My Diamond. Synth-driven and carried by Hayden’s signature charming falsetto, it makes for a wonderfully mystical listen.

Listen to Parallel Kingdom here

Nothing Else Matters by Phoebe Bridgers

And finally, as part of Metallica’s ongoing Blacklist project it is the turn of Miss Phoebe Bridgers at tackling the classic Nothing Else Matters. Completely different to Miley’s extravagant take, Phoebe describes her version as “baroque”, as her unique cover version elegantly waltzes along off the back of the piano-driven melody, the string-tinged instrumentation, and her own soft, silky vocals.

Listen to Phoebe’s Nothing Else Matters here

Supermilk Interview: Less Spikes, More Curves

Photo by Julie Ernie

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Jake Popyura’s used to doing things himself. The drummer and vocalist of supremely underrated British indie rock band Doe, who split up in 2019, records as Supermilk, a project initially intended to be a studio-only side project, albeit one rooted in Popyura’s longtime experience self-recording. A 2017 and 2019 EP were followed by a full-length, last March’s Death Is The Best Thing for You Now, which he finally planned to tour, adopting his bedroom approach to a band on stage. We all know what happened last March. For Popyura, the cancellation of live music for the foreseeable future, the still-recent dissolution of Doe, and a dry well of freelance web development projects (his day gig) could have combined to form a full-blown existential crisis. Yes, who am I to assume that didn’t happen, but from an outsider’s point of view, Popyura simply did what a lot of artists did with lockdown: write some songs.

Four by Three, Supermilk’s second LP (and first for Specialist Subject) marks a new path for Popyura both in context of Doe and Supermilk. Though there are still buzzing tunes with grim subject matter, Popyura took the opportunity to dive deep within himself. The album’s bookended with two lilting, personal tracks, first single and closer “Used to It” and vulnerable opener “Unsafe”. The latter as well as “Lifesaver” allow him to showcase his expressive, open vocals, giving more space than ever to his lyrics. Yes, some of the album’s best songs could have fit on previous, murder-oriented releases, like choppy, Heaven’s Gate-inspired burner “Swim” and a fuzz rock sequel to Death’s serial killer tale “Agony Anne”. But Four by Three has the most variety of any Supermilk or even Doe release, exemplary of Popyura’s ability to channel different corners of his mind.

I spoke with Popyura over Zoom in May from London, where he’s “currently living, trying not to go insane.” In addition to the record, he spoke about his love for horror films, craft beer, and VHS collecting, why he chooses to be open about his day job, and when he’ll start thinking about restarting the live incarnation of Supermilk. Read the conversation below, edited for length and clarity.

Since I Left You: With either Doe or Supermilk, had you been used to the idea of putting out an album, touring it, and having that road-testing experience influence the process of the next one? Was the process for Four by Three different, having written and recorded it immediately after putting out Death Is The Best Thing for You Now?

Jake Popyura: I guess with Doe, that was the way they would usually work, in terms of touring it for as long as we could before getting started on another one. Naturally, the way you evolve as a band is through playing and touring relentlessly, and the adventures you have together influence the way you work together and impact subsequent releases. With Supermilk, I’ve been doing my own kind of “one man band” things for a long time. I’m an only child and started playing music really early, and my dad taught me to record music by myself on his four-track when I was quite young. Supermilk’s sort of another version of that one-man band thing. I’ve never really played live as a solo thing. Not having any outside influence, just doing it myself without having road testing, is something I’m used to, so it didn’t make much of a difference to the writing and recording of the new record.

The last record, my first full-length with Supermilk, we were working on a live band incarnation of it, which we were gonna tour and do some shows with. That had to be completely canceled because of COVID. That was the only hint of doing live stuff solo. It’s always been a self-contained thing, writing and recording on my own. The only difference this time is my friend Rich [Mandell] produced, mixed, and mastered Four by Three. So sadly, no road testing for Supermilk yet. Hopefully at some point in the future when we can stand shoulder to shoulder and people can be on stage again.

There was a period of time last year where I didn’t work, because I was previously freelance as a day job. I finished my last freelance contract just before COVID kicked off, and all the work dried up, and there were four months I couldn’t work or couldn’t find any work. It was all a bit dicey. So I thought, “I guess I’ll start [making a record.]” I was playing guitar a lot more and was indoors a lot more. It was a way to pass the time and naturally grew into intelligent songs. Towards the end of the year, I thought, “There might be a second record in this. I like all the stuff I’m doing, and there’s probably enough ideas in here for me to start forming it into a second album.” So it was almost accidentally born out of the situation.

SILY: How would you say it’s distinct from the first record?

JP: I’d say the first record is a lot more agitated, if that makes sense. It had a theme where a lot of the songs were about death and entitlement and the combination of death as a result of entitlement. Even though there were a lot of pop songs on it, it was bleak, angry, and fidgety. The fact that I recorded it by myself made it rough around the edges. This second one ended up being gentler, in a way, which was not intentional at all. But maybe it was because I was in a slightly different place from when I wrote the first one. 

I have a wide rage of influences. I grew up listening to a lot of punk and hardcore and still have a love of heavy, fast music and post-punk. Stuff like Devo, B-52s. There’s also a lot of gentle, ambient stuff that I love, and I don’t get a chance to or think to write in that style. Naturally, I ended up writing quite a few more personal, gentle, acoustic songs as well. The first time I’ve really kind of used acoustic [guitar] on any Supermilk stuff.

Nicola [Leel] from Doe, I’m looking after her acoustic guitar while she’s living in the States, and I ended up writing a lot of the songs on that, which helped me play around with full open chords that were jammy and gentle, instead of playing through fuzz pedals all the time. It’s got less spikes and more curves. A bit smoother around the edges. And the lyrics are a lot more personal too, referencing things going on in my life over the last year and a bit.

SILY: You still find room for both the gentler/more personal and the more raw. The former is immediately apparent on the opening track, “Unsafe”, but you still have sharp barbs of guitar on the second and third track, and “Fears” is really fuzzy. Then “Lifesaver” goes back to gentle. Did you try to sequence the album in a way that goes back and forth between different levels of noise?

JP: I’m always quite fussy about the track sequencing. Not so much anymore, but I used to have a thing where I couldn’t have songs together that were the exact same tempo or key. Then I realized that sometimes works against you, because it’s sometimes nice to have two songs in the same key that flow into each other. I used to be way more anal about that. I never write an album in sequence, but ones the songs are mixed, I spend a while putting them into different orders.

SILY: The song “Used To It” is a great closer, but you rarely see the closer issued as the first single. Why did you release it as the first taste of the record?

JP: The first single was really “Pelican Pete”, but we put it out with Specialist Subject before we announced the record because we were keen to get something out there. But with “Used To It”, it’s the most different compared to what I’ve done before. I really liked the idea of putting out a track that wasn’t entirely consistent with what I had done before. It’s one of the more personal songs on the record, too. It weaves a bit of a story and hits a few different places and notes than singles I had put out previously. It’s more chill and gentle. The most downtempo thing I’ve done. I thought it would be interesting instead of releasing the standard guitar ones to let people know, “Here’s something from the record you might not like, just to give you a heads up.”

SILY: Who or what is Pelican Pete?

JP: There’s a song on the first record called “Agony Anne”, a loose story of a serial killer called Anne who meets her victims through Tinder, or “insert name of dating app here.” The story is from the perspective of her soon-to-be victim, and in an attempt to spare their life, they say, “Hang on a second: You must be very lonely doing all this killing on your own. Maybe I can be the person to do this with you. You can spare my life and we can do this together and form a partnership.” “Pelican Pete” is the sequel to that song, and Pete is the person from “Agony Anne”. “Pelican Pete” is from the perspective of Anne, her saying, “This was a bad idea. You’ve gone rogue and are not abiding by my code. You’re gonna get us caught. I’m gonna have to kill you.”

SILY: That’s not a personal story, is it?

JP: I hope not, unless it’s channeling some sort of other life. On the whole, this album is a lot more personal and gentler than the first one, but there are still a few songs on here dealing with death. It would be unusual if there weren’t any songs like that on here, especially considering the time in which I wrote it, where there was a lot of death around us and gnarly shit happening. Also, I’m a big horror fan and have always been fascinated with the slightly more macabre side of things and weird interpersonal relationships that tie into those things as well. Especially when you have a pair of serial killers. It’s interesting to me, this love affair and bond can be tied up in such a sadistic way.

There’s a song on here loosely based on the Heaven’s Gate cult, which I’m also quite fascinated with. So I’d never allow myself to write a completely gentle album, even though it’s more gentle on the whole and definitely shows a softer side. But a big component of my personality remains in the uncomfortable, slightly infatuated with death arena, so it felt right to include those in there too.

SILY: You repeat “You will not be safe” on the first track. Does that go along with the macabre themes?

JP: Not really, actually. One through-line in a lot of the stuff I’ve written is about mental health and my own struggles with mental illness. That song’s more about the fear I have that all of my friends are one day gonna get up and say, “Why have we been friends with this person for so long?” When I actually speak to my other friends or people in general who suffer from generalized anxiety that comes with several different types of mental illness, that kind of fear that someone wakes up and realizes I’m a terrible person, is a common feeling that a lot of people have. “You will not be safe” and the line before that, “Some day you’ll believe me / Some day you’ll release me,” it’s some day you’ll believe me when I keep telling you I’m a piece of shit and not worth it. “You will not be safe” is like, “I’ll still be there--the stain of our friendship will still be on your life.” 

It sounds bleak, but I find this stuff quite funny as well. You’ve got to laugh about your own mental peculiarities. I find them amusing when talking to someone else about them. They’re just floating in my head, so me talking out loud about them is funny. [laughs]

SILY: What’s the purpose of the interlude, “Hale Bopp”, within the narrative of the record?

JP: That’s a portion of a song I made 10-11 years ago. I made a chiptune-esque project that was Nintendo-style bleeps and bloops, emulating a rock band sound made entirely in the computer. It’s a portion of that, been fucked with a little bit, pitch shifted and reversed. “The Skin”, the song I mentioned about Heaven’s Gate, is almost a fictionalized version of it from the point of view of the two last people standing in a suicide cult/pact, looking back over the events that have led up to that point and realizing they’ve got a choice to make. Hale-Bopp was the comet they believed [would transport them] if they took their own lives, if they timed it right and left their own “vehicles”, which is how they referred to their human bodies, that they’d be able to ride the comet back to their alien origins and join the people they left previously. [The song] sounds a bit spacey, and you can listen to that and imagine a bunch of people jumping to a comet and riding back to where they think they come from. Because of the way it’s been reversed and pitch-shifted, it feels melodic and hopeful but sad and tragic at the same time, which is fitting with the themes.

SILY: Are you a fan of contemporary horror films?

JP: I’m a fan of horror all across the decades. I usually reference 80′s horror because the style of it--when effects were starting to be used a lot more and there wasn’t quite as much CGI yet, so there was a gritty feel to the stuff that was happening even thought it was fake, because it was happening in the studio in frame with the actors. Including the gore or creature effects. It forced people to get creative. There’s something special and magical about watching that happen and how it’s captured by the filmmakers. But I’m a big fan of the genre on the whole.

SILY: You’ve shared in your bio that you’re also interested in craft brewing and that you have a day job as a web developer. I normally don’t see bands or band members including that in conjunction with information about the album. Why did you choose to share these things about yourself, whether they pertain to the music or not?

JP: I feel like the vast majority of my friends are musicians, or if not musicians, are involved in the arts in some way. I know one or two people who do music as their job. The eternal struggle, trying to find that right balance--especially if you’re doing music on a small indie level--you can have a fan base and people buying your music and big sold out shows and be established--but there’s still a good chance it’s not gonna be your living. Almost everyone I know subsidizes it with a day job. I thought it would be a nice thing to throw in there because it’s something to be proud of, too. The way most people I know do music, it’s essentially a job even though they don’t get paid for it. They dedicate just as much time to it and put just as much effort into it and care just as much about it than any other job, if not more so. Sometimes I feel like people are ashamed to say they don’t do music full time and can’t call it their job if not making a full-time living from it. It’s nice to get rid of that stigma and say, “We’re all in this together.” We all have to take other jobs we don’t like 100%. It’s good to be honest about it.

The homebrewing was just something to amuse myself. It made me laugh. It read almost like a dating profile or something. [laughs] I actually had another line in there I chose to take out, which is, “His best feature is his butt.” I don’t need to rub the fact that I’ve got a fantastic butt in people’s faces. They’ll figure that out.

SILY: What style of beer do you brew?

JP: I’m actually drinking one right now. I’ve just brewed a very nice stout, about 5.5%. Some nice chocolate, licoricey notes. Chocolate malt and roasted barley. I didn’t actually start brewing that long ago, but...I feel comfortable building my own recipes, putting in different yeasts, etc. There are a couple recipes I go to now that are my own that I can brew very quickly.

SILY: What’s the inspiration behind the album title?

JP: I’m a VHS collector, which is supremely nerdy and very uncool. It’s funny, because in the VHS collecting community, there’s a running joke that hipsters are ruining the hobby because they’re making them too cool. Everybody just wants to buy these rare tapes and take pictures of them just to show off. It’s full of grumpy old guys. It’s such an uncool thing and clunky, redundant bit of technology that any self-respecting hipster probably wouldn’t be caught dead with VHS tapes. Regardless, I’m a big fan, and it lends itself to horror as a genre. They go hand in hand with the way a lot of people discovered horror for the first time, renting movies when they were kids. There’s something about the low-grade, crappy standard definition that lends itself to the grubby, slightly seedy nature of watching an old school horror movie, with scan lines and flickers and dodgy special effects. As a horror fan, it’s a match made in heaven. A lot of the tapes I have, there’s a series of movies colloquially known as the “video nasties.” In the 80′s, they were banned because the conservative government at the time whipped up a big moral panic about violent video tapes corrupting our nation’s youth. Evil Dead, and I Spit On Your Grave. Quite revered movies. Blood Feast. They ended up prosecuted in the UK. Video dealers were raided and their videos confiscated and burned. I’ve got some of the original tapes, and they’re highly sought after now.

This is a very long-winded tangent, but Four by Three is the aspect ratio of VHS. I called it that to loosely describe what the album was about in a nutshell to someone. Mostly from a personal place that follows my journey through the last year of things that have happened to me through the backdrop of the pandemic. The story follows a bit of a timeline, of the pandemic breaking out. One thing that kept me on the sane side at times was shutting myself away and getting very nerdy about this hobby. I had these online friendships to get nerdy about this specific thing, trading tapes and such. It helped take my mind off the absolute shitshow happening around us all. Gave me something to be excited and passionate about. That’s why the record [cover] is a video with tape being loaded into it.

SILY: Do you have any plans to play live?

JP: Not at the moment. I’ve got a lot of friends who have started booking shows already. Doe split up just prior to the pandemic, but if we were still a band, we’d probably be cautiously booking shows. But since Supermilk was never really a band, even though we formed something and had intentions of playing and touring, because it never came to proper fruition, it seems like there’s not as much pressure. It still is my thing, since I call the shots and play all the instruments. If you just want to write music and don’t fancy playing live, there’s not yet the expectation of you that you have to do that. Even though it’s very frustrating we can’t play music yet, and people have been put in a really difficult position and lost their livelihoods, it’s also been refreshing to know that people are able to create music without feeling the need to tour behind a record.

I think it will happen at some point, but I’m not making plans for now. I’m gonna enjoy the record coming out knowing I don’t need to worry too much about playing live for a little bit. When things are even more stable than they are at the moment...I think I want to stand back and watch from afar for a bit, and see what shows look like. Definitely at some point in the next 15 years.

SILY: Anything else next for you in the short or long term?

JP: I’m probably gonna watch some Netflix in a bit. Go to sleep, maybe. Eat a sandwich. Not at the same time.

I’m always writing songs. Whether those go into a pile I’ll use at some point, or whether I feel like I need to record a full-blown demo, I’ll never not be doing that, even if just purely for my own enjoyment and satisfaction. The fact that a few people might hear it is a bonus on top of that.

Continuing to be grateful I get to make music and that I’m alive.

SILY: Anything in particular you’ve been listening to, watching, or reading lately?

JP: There are two records in particular that came out this year that I really love that I’m finding any opportunity to plug. There’s a band called Fake Fruit that put out a self-titled record earlier this year. They’re from Oakland. They’re snarky post-punk. Every track on it is an absolute banger, exactly the kind of album I wanted to hear this year. There are bits and pieces of it that remind me of Bodega a bit, and that kind of end of post-punk with wry humor and slight wink-wink-nudge-nudge lyrics. The other record is Mr. Goblin’s Four People in an Elevator and One of Them is the Devil.  

I just started watching the Son of Sam documentary on Netflix [The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness], which is very good. Since I’ve been a small child, I’ve been a true crime, morbid weirdness fan. The only thing I’m annoyed about now is that it’s cool and a commodity. It’s widely accepted and great, but I miss telling people I’m into it and them looking at me in disgust. Gory horror movies still have that edge, where people say, “What’s wrong with you?”

salty ask list 4, 7, 9, 14 and 17 (XYZ is lawsuit) for 9-1-1- tv show?

4. do you have a notp in your fandom? are they a popular otp?

no! so far i'm vibin pretty much everything that's going on which is NICE.

7. Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?

NO. though, tbf, i have NOT finished yet and therefore also, have not done a rewatch. and that's usually where i form my more Concrete opinions.

9. most disliked character(s)? why?

okay i don't necessarily dislike any characters so far?? some character sometimes do Things and i'm like hmmmm what the fuck. maybe Don't. but overall i'm having fun and not like, actively tuning out when certain characters come on screen. which is RARE.

if i had to pick ONE, like just pick ONE that i'm slightly SLIGHTLY less endeared with currently? uh eddie. idk WHY okay i literally can't think of why. just something in the past season or so has made me be like hmmmmmmm. but also i love him. but i could love him more, y'know.

14. unpopular opinion about your fandom?

i actually haven't ventured out to any 911 blogs! which is surprising. everything i see about 911 comes from the same like 4 people that i follow that post it so i'm not up to date on the Fandom Drama and Discourse and honestly. it's so nice. love that.

17. instead of [lawsuit mess] happening, I would have made [answer] happen…

kasjhfjkasdhkj okay i am SO sorry about ur hatred of that whole plot line. like i hated it too but like. only simply becos i HATE Family Divided. Found Family Fighting. but honestly due to the fact that i know jackshit about lawsuits and lawyers and court etc etc?? the technical details about all of it barely even made an impact on me askjfksakhd i'm SORRY!

okay i haven't really done a Deep Dive on the Emotional Spectrum of what buck was ~going through~ for that entire debacle but like. there was the earthquake then there was the truck on his leg and he was off work and he was feeling like actual shit and he wasn't! allowed! to work! to be with his family! and they all kept turning him away! like yes, it was for his own good becos, injured, but like. it's BUCK! kids got abandonment issues and family trauma and is the type of person that NEEDS attention and reassurance and like. physical shows of affection. then there was the tsunami and losing christopher and then there was the blood clots at his welcome back party and he was turned away again???? i think there was some more hospital time? my memories getting hazy here but basically buck got kicked like. multiple times while he was already down.

and like the others were trying to show they cared by like. making him not work???? my memories of this specific part are NOT there becos with that plot i was like no lmao i'm not fucking watching until everyones reunited so if this is incorrect, forgive me, but everyone was like 'buck, no. u cant be here.' and buck was all 'bros i Need to be here. i NEED it.'

like they were all trying to SHOW each other how much they cared whilst also NOT LISTENING to each other. DECIDING things for each other instead of establishing some fucking open communication. so BUCK fucking sued them. which, okay drama king. and yes luc, he did it terribly. he did it in a way that no legal binding contract lawyer etc would work but. it's a drama show so that barely pinged my radar, i'm sorry, my dear.

SO BASICALLY all this to say that if EYE was in charge here and writing the story and laying down the ideas and storylines and character arcs, and we HAD to have buck sue them for like idk. the higher ups constant need to always divide The Family on Found Family Shows. then i GUESS we could keep MOST of it the same but instead, and luc omg ur absolutely gonna hate this, but instead!

instead of everyone kinda living in their own lanes and focusing on their own shit (which totally justified and fair btw! deal w ur shit, kids!) maybe if they all kinda looked around and were like 'oh damn. we're falling to bits here.' then MAYBE! if SOMEONE! from the firefam went knocking on bucks door to TALK to him.

and maybe if buck was all "actually, my lawyer said i'm to have no contact with anyone that i'm suing." cos he's such a law abiding citizen etc as we been knew. obviously.

okay THEN if said firefam member was like "oh, cool. they can forcibly remove me from the premise when they get here, then! any who! until then-" holds up some takeaway boxes, "dinner. can probably fit in an episode of [dumb cooking show here] as well. maybe Talk." and just barges in and settles on the couch.

and they TALK. and it's not deep and it does Not get to the root of the problem but it's a fucking START.

then two nights later, maybe a different firefam member shows up, same opening line at the door, and buck tries to get them to leave again, but like, he's barely putting up a fight. maybe the talk circles a little closer to The Issues this time.

maybe another firefam member a few nights later, but this time instead of trying to sort BUCKS Current Life State, they focus on said firefams Current Troubles. some give and some take.

maybe eddie DOES call buck to bail him out of jail. becos they've been in fucking CONTACT. maybe hen vents about her and karens current struggles and doesn't exactly ask, or listen, to bucks advice but like, it's good to TALK and she likes some perspective.

again, my memories of the other plotlines in these eps are HAZY at best and imdb is NOT helping me so disregard pretty much all of this if it DOESN'T make sense. but i just think it'd be neat if they fucking talked. if they sorted some shit out organically. i THINK i understand why buck jumped the gun and was like fuck it! let's sue! but i'd need a rewatch to like. have more concrete thoughts about it all.

BUT HONESTLY. if we could just get that shot of the lawyer telling buck what will happen if he goes thru with Suing them, including how he won't be able to have contact with anyone, and then we had a shot of buck showing up at bobby's. but instead of handing him the serve or what the fuck ever he did, instead! we got buck like, breaking down or something. like if suing was a close call but just didn't happen and instead buck like, took some time to THINK things through in the Big Picture way instead of the I'm Sick And Tired Of Always Being The One Fucking Suffering way and then we jump to the communicating and making up and there's no everyone vs buck, buck vs everyone thing??? that'd be just so much fucking better imo.