A POST OF THOUGHTS.
I thought I'd make an update on various things. This could get long.
First off, QUICK THOUGHTS ON HARRY POTTER:
-BELLATRIX YOU'RE A BOSS
-Actualfax cried at the graveyard scene. I'm not even sure why.
-EVERY TIME PARSELTONGUE HAPPENED I KEPT THINKING "HI WOW WHY ISN'T GABE SPEAKING THIS LANGUAGE *____*"
-/waves tiny Harry/Luna flag?
-I really, really liked the Tale of Three Brothers scene. I want to see that kind of animation used in another context, it was really cool.
-BELLATRIX SERIOUSLY YOU'RE A BOSS
-The snakes are not metaphors because the movie was busy GETTING SOVIET RUSSIA AND NAZI GERMANY MIXED UP. I FIND THIS HILARIOUS.
-I need to reread the book because I forget who bizarrely pretty werewolf(?) guy was. Why didn't I reread it before watching the movie? idk man.
Next, LONG THOUGHTS ON DANGER DAYS:
Look Alive, Sunshine
I STILL LOVE THIS SPEECH SO MUCH. I WILL BE RECITING IT FOREVER. What I really love is how they said they made it totally nonsensical TO BE LIKE A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. STOP BEING MY FAVORITES, BOYS.
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
Aaaand transition! The one way to my heart that isn't time signature changes, transitions between tracks! And this one's just perfect, omg. I don't actually have a lot of long thoughts on this since I've probably exhausted them in the past month it's been running around. But seriously, it's just the perfect opener, bright and energetic and basically embodying the whole album. ALSO, RHYMING BATMAN WITH JAZZ HANDS. GERARD YOUR LYRICS PLEASE LET ME ROLL AROUND IN THEM FOR A WHILE. Rock on, boys.
Also I would like to submit my theory that this song is sung by Tommy Chow Mein. Just saying.
Bulletproof Heart
PRETTYYYYYY. No seriously, one thing I adore about Mychem? They write these songs that would be absolutely gorgeous if a trained tenor or a female vocalist sang them with less rocking accompaniment (I STILL WANT GRETA TO COVER I DON'T LOVE YOU, OKAY). But instead you get a Gerard and all of the guitars and it's just so INTERESTING.
Another thing I love? They know how to do repetition so well. Instead of just verse-chorus-verse-chorus where the verses all sound the same but with different lyrics, they experiment with different backings, play with the drum beats (the shifting from downbeat to upbeat in the second verse of Na Na Na, omg), GERARD CHANGES THE MELODY WHENEVER HE DAMN WELL FEELS LIKE, god. And they just build up to the last chorus in the BEST WAY. Random a capella beats! Can you tell I'm commentating on it as I listen!
...Anyway.
Sing
I...don't actually like Sing all that much? /o\ Just, I guess I was comparing everything to the PINNACLE OF AWESOME that is Na Na Na, and this didn't really impress me as much as that track. It's definitely gorgeous, and I can't really hate it because it produced SUCH A GREAT VIDEO, but. Mm.
I really adore the bridge, I'll say that. Just, the way it gradually grows more rough and raw as it goes along, and then DRUM FILL, and then KEEP RUNNING, and then back to the gorgeous chorus.
I want to play this song on drums on Rock Band, come to think of it. There's some neat drumming going on here.
Planetary (GO!)
OH FUCK YES THIS SONG. THIS SONG THIS SONG THIS SONG. How much can I say about this song. SIRENS! OPENING DRUMBEAT COMING IN EXACTLY EIGHT BEATS AFTER THE SIRENS! PERFECT BPM FOR WALKING TO CLASS!
No but seriously I love these lyrics. You'll notice I don't actually have a lot of thoughts on lyrics because I'm not actually a word person, but the actual euphony of the consonants going on is great. Like, nothing sounds awkward or forced when it's said (UNLIKE CERTAIN VEGAS BANDS I COULD NAME). "Truth is now acceptable/fame is now injectable/Process the progress" just sounds really good, okay.
(Side note: I love the little "whoaaaa"s during the choruses. They're like doot doot doots but not)
OH CAN WE TALK ABOUT GERARD'S SEX NOISES. I LIKE GERARD'S SEX NOISES AND THEIR MULTIPLE INSTANCES ON THIS ALBUM.
No but seriously this song is great and I am incoherent.
The Only Hope For Me Is You
...Another song I am not entirely convinced about! /o\ No okay, it's totally gorgeous, but this was the first one I heard after Na Na Na, and IT'S REALLY HARD TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING AFTER NA NA NA AND NOT COMPARE THEM. The chorus is pretty fantastic, and Gerard's DICTION, oh my god, the way he pronounces his vowels at the end of each line is hilarious. Never stop using your stupid fake accents, Geeway ;;b
But yeah, this is another one I'd like to hear with a gentler orchestration and a female vocalist, just for kicks. Not that I think it'd be better than the original, but it'd be neat. (Greta Salpeter, please somehow find it in your heart to cover Mychem songs? Please? But then again I think Greta should sing everything ever.)
Jet-Star and the Kobra Kid/Traffic Report
RAY D: MIKEY D: D: WHAT EVEN. PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THIS IS GOING TO BE THE PLOT OF THE NEXT VIDEO. No but seriously can Steve Righ just say everything ever? I want him to read A Clockwork Orange now.
Party Poison
AHAHA THIS SONG. Can we talk about the left-right balance of this album? Because it's AMAZING. The way the guitar clicks on in your left ear is just really cool for some reason. But I'll talk more about that when we get to Destroya. Anyway.
This is a WAKEUP SONG, okay. I have a list of songs that are good for listening to early in the morning when you haven't slept enough (Dead!, Na Na Na, Hot Mess, ...Fever?) and this is so going on it. I want to hear it live, it'd be SO MUCH FUN. Crowd-surfing, moshing, Gerard doing stupid hand gestures, the works. It's just boys having fun with music, okay. You know I love happy musicians.
Also, I really like the line "We'd be killing ourselves by sleeping in." Just saying.
Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back
I LIKE THIS SONG. Na na nas! Stupid voices! The chorus! "We can live forever if you've got the time!" I don't have any very deep thoughts on this track, it's just kind of awesome. And honestly this should have been one of the singles. Add a little more energy and you could have set the Sing video to this song.
S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W
sdkfj I adore this song, and I can tell I'm going to be the only one who does. The melody's gorgeous (HOW MANY TIMES CAN I USE THE WORD "GORGEOUS" TO DESCRIBE THIS ALBUM), the Magical Mystery Tour influence is obvious (and amazing), it's CREEPY AS FUCK, and you know I like creep. Especially the way the lyrics contrast with the PRETTY PRETTY MELODY. Love that shit.
Also, the voice filter at the end of the first verse, at "all alone tonight"? I. I really like voice filters, you guys. And the whole instrumental section before the "run bunny run" part, omggggg. Bells! Pretty guitars! AND THEN MORE VOICE FILTERING. Integrating the guitar motif from earlier into the chorus! Nnnnngh your songwriting, boys *_____*
Summertime
Really the best comment I can make about this song is "I WANT TO HOLD HANDS WITH EVERYONE IN THE MOSH PIT AND SWAY." OTP song of my heart, okay. Obvious lyrics about Lyn-Z! Total break from the ROCK ROCK ROCK of earlier! (which is led into by the creepy but mellow S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W to avoid total stark contrast and confusion oh my god this album is so well-constructed you guys I CAN'T EVEN TAKE IT.)
...But yeah basically this is the cutest love song and I don't even like love songs. A+, Gee.
Destroya
OH MY GODDDDDD. Where do I start with this song.
Jungle drums. JUNGLE DRUMS. It's kind of bizarre but I kind of picked up an Extraordinary Girl influence here? But I'm probably crazy, because that song is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Anyway.
LEFT-RIGHT BALANCE HOLY SHIT CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS. Just. The "check-check-check" shifting around in your ears and throwing you off-balance from the start. And then there's the one kind of spoken-word section later, with two different Gerards saying different versions of the chorus, and the contrast just KILLS ME with its amazing.
And the sex noises in Planetary? NOTHING compared to the sex noises made here. Especially with the left-right differences again, holy fuuuuuck you've got some moaning going on in the left and all of a sudden the right appears and throws you off and it's so good, nnnngh.
...And I just realized you can actually still hear the drums from the beginning just hiding in the background at some sections. COHESIVENESS. COHESIVENESS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT GETS ME. FUCKING LEITMOTIFS.
Speaking of leitmotifs, the little section of triplets at the very end? The first three notes, the first time I heard it, I thought the song was ending. Those notes are the kind you end a song with, then fade out. But they turned it into a whole new melody, and oh my god, oh my god I don't care if that wasn't even intentional, it's SO. COOL.
The Kids from Yesterday
This one's fun, I love the little punch of noise at every upbeat, even if you pay too much attention to it it becomes annoying. Okay never mind, it's pounding at my head now. Ow.
Anyway. It's a good sort-of-ending for the album (Vampire Money always seems more like a bonus track to me than anything, even if it's AMAZING and I will get to that in a second), and it's pretty. And depressing? I guess? Again, not a lot of deep thoughts on lyrics. I'll leave that to my lyrical buddies. I should listen to this song more than a few times before actually talking about it.
Goodnite, Dr. Death
...NO SERIOUSLY STEVE RIGH TALK FOREVER. I LOVE YOUR VOICE.
Meanwhile ahahaha this arrangement of the national anthem? I'm pretty sure it's the same one we played in marching band. The snare drum and I used to make little cymbal noises after every line when our cymbal player flaked out on us (which was often). The point is, boys are hilarious and ~aesthetic static~ is hilarious and THAT LAST NOTE HOLY SHIT TERROR. Anyway.
Vampire Money
THIS SONG THIS SONG THIS SONG OH MY GOD.
THE INTRO. 321 WE CAME TO FUCK. I KNOW EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE GSF IMPLICATIONS BUT SERIOUSLY.
I just love everything about this. It's fun to listen to, it's a good tempo to walk to if you're in a hurry (yes I judge songs by their BPM now, it's very important when you walk around campus every day), it's just FUN. Sparkle like Bowie in the morning sun! Sparkle like Bowie in the morning sun! I CAN'T EVEN TAKE THIS ALBUM OH MY GOD.
And the fact that this song is about TWILIGHT and WHY MYCHEM DIDN'T WRITE A SONG FOR TWILIGHT and and and alskdjflksj I give up. I'm dead. Of amazing. The end.
I would do another quick review of We Don't Need Another Song About California but I really don't have a lot of thoughts on it. Ask a Californian. Or someone who's listened to it more than twice.
Next, fic updates!
-Pill adventures: Not getting anywhere. Hopefully when I finish my NEW PROJECT I'll finish Frank's part, but I don't see Ray's happening any time soon.
-Pill adventures sidenote: I wrote another sidestory in the same verse-within-a-verse about Mikeyway and Pete in a Wave-Head bar, but I probably won't post that for another little while. Like AFTER I FINISH PILL ADVENTURES.
-Various terrible big bang ideas: On hold! Would like to work on more Songbirds but I require a braintwin.
-Time Lords: I have a new one open and waiting to be worked on, but...it kind of sucks at the moment.
-Recent exploits: OKAY, THIS IS THE BIG ONE. So someone posted "Stockholm syndrome" on the Killjoys kink meme, right. And I don't think I'm actually going to post anything there, but I saw it, and 1st_eggokage and I started talking, and this is why you don't let us talk because THREE DAYS LATER I have FIVE THOUSAND WORDS of Mikeyway getting kidnapped and interrogated written in a document. And another thousand words in the form of texts to 1st_eggokage and madcap_shiny. I'm. A really bad person. Hopefully that will get done in the next...month. But knowing me it'll be done in a week because I will STAY UP UNTIL SIX AM WRITING LIKE A CRAZY PETE WENTZ PERSON.
...Also I think at some point I'm going to end up writing Gerard getting interrogated from inside the body bag. Thank you, Kyriescarce.
...And then I have to write happyfic to be forgiven for all this nonsense. >:|
SO YEAH THAT'S MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. Except I have to go research forniphilia for my final seminar project now. Wheeeeeee.
First off, QUICK THOUGHTS ON HARRY POTTER:
-BELLATRIX YOU'RE A BOSS
-Actualfax cried at the graveyard scene. I'm not even sure why.
-EVERY TIME PARSELTONGUE HAPPENED I KEPT THINKING "HI WOW WHY ISN'T GABE SPEAKING THIS LANGUAGE *____*"
-/waves tiny Harry/Luna flag?
-I really, really liked the Tale of Three Brothers scene. I want to see that kind of animation used in another context, it was really cool.
-BELLATRIX SERIOUSLY YOU'RE A BOSS
-The snakes are not metaphors because the movie was busy GETTING SOVIET RUSSIA AND NAZI GERMANY MIXED UP. I FIND THIS HILARIOUS.
-I need to reread the book because I forget who bizarrely pretty werewolf(?) guy was. Why didn't I reread it before watching the movie? idk man.
Next, LONG THOUGHTS ON DANGER DAYS:
Look Alive, Sunshine
I STILL LOVE THIS SPEECH SO MUCH. I WILL BE RECITING IT FOREVER. What I really love is how they said they made it totally nonsensical TO BE LIKE A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. STOP BEING MY FAVORITES, BOYS.
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
Aaaand transition! The one way to my heart that isn't time signature changes, transitions between tracks! And this one's just perfect, omg. I don't actually have a lot of long thoughts on this since I've probably exhausted them in the past month it's been running around. But seriously, it's just the perfect opener, bright and energetic and basically embodying the whole album. ALSO, RHYMING BATMAN WITH JAZZ HANDS. GERARD YOUR LYRICS PLEASE LET ME ROLL AROUND IN THEM FOR A WHILE. Rock on, boys.
Also I would like to submit my theory that this song is sung by Tommy Chow Mein. Just saying.
Bulletproof Heart
PRETTYYYYYY. No seriously, one thing I adore about Mychem? They write these songs that would be absolutely gorgeous if a trained tenor or a female vocalist sang them with less rocking accompaniment (I STILL WANT GRETA TO COVER I DON'T LOVE YOU, OKAY). But instead you get a Gerard and all of the guitars and it's just so INTERESTING.
Another thing I love? They know how to do repetition so well. Instead of just verse-chorus-verse-chorus where the verses all sound the same but with different lyrics, they experiment with different backings, play with the drum beats (the shifting from downbeat to upbeat in the second verse of Na Na Na, omg), GERARD CHANGES THE MELODY WHENEVER HE DAMN WELL FEELS LIKE, god. And they just build up to the last chorus in the BEST WAY. Random a capella beats! Can you tell I'm commentating on it as I listen!
...Anyway.
Sing
I...don't actually like Sing all that much? /o\ Just, I guess I was comparing everything to the PINNACLE OF AWESOME that is Na Na Na, and this didn't really impress me as much as that track. It's definitely gorgeous, and I can't really hate it because it produced SUCH A GREAT VIDEO, but. Mm.
I really adore the bridge, I'll say that. Just, the way it gradually grows more rough and raw as it goes along, and then DRUM FILL, and then KEEP RUNNING, and then back to the gorgeous chorus.
I want to play this song on drums on Rock Band, come to think of it. There's some neat drumming going on here.
Planetary (GO!)
OH FUCK YES THIS SONG. THIS SONG THIS SONG THIS SONG. How much can I say about this song. SIRENS! OPENING DRUMBEAT COMING IN EXACTLY EIGHT BEATS AFTER THE SIRENS! PERFECT BPM FOR WALKING TO CLASS!
No but seriously I love these lyrics. You'll notice I don't actually have a lot of thoughts on lyrics because I'm not actually a word person, but the actual euphony of the consonants going on is great. Like, nothing sounds awkward or forced when it's said (UNLIKE CERTAIN VEGAS BANDS I COULD NAME). "Truth is now acceptable/fame is now injectable/Process the progress" just sounds really good, okay.
(Side note: I love the little "whoaaaa"s during the choruses. They're like doot doot doots but not)
OH CAN WE TALK ABOUT GERARD'S SEX NOISES. I LIKE GERARD'S SEX NOISES AND THEIR MULTIPLE INSTANCES ON THIS ALBUM.
No but seriously this song is great and I am incoherent.
The Only Hope For Me Is You
...Another song I am not entirely convinced about! /o\ No okay, it's totally gorgeous, but this was the first one I heard after Na Na Na, and IT'S REALLY HARD TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING AFTER NA NA NA AND NOT COMPARE THEM. The chorus is pretty fantastic, and Gerard's DICTION, oh my god, the way he pronounces his vowels at the end of each line is hilarious. Never stop using your stupid fake accents, Geeway ;;b
But yeah, this is another one I'd like to hear with a gentler orchestration and a female vocalist, just for kicks. Not that I think it'd be better than the original, but it'd be neat. (Greta Salpeter, please somehow find it in your heart to cover Mychem songs? Please? But then again I think Greta should sing everything ever.)
Jet-Star and the Kobra Kid/Traffic Report
RAY D: MIKEY D: D: WHAT EVEN. PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THIS IS GOING TO BE THE PLOT OF THE NEXT VIDEO. No but seriously can Steve Righ just say everything ever? I want him to read A Clockwork Orange now.
Party Poison
AHAHA THIS SONG. Can we talk about the left-right balance of this album? Because it's AMAZING. The way the guitar clicks on in your left ear is just really cool for some reason. But I'll talk more about that when we get to Destroya. Anyway.
This is a WAKEUP SONG, okay. I have a list of songs that are good for listening to early in the morning when you haven't slept enough (Dead!, Na Na Na, Hot Mess, ...Fever?) and this is so going on it. I want to hear it live, it'd be SO MUCH FUN. Crowd-surfing, moshing, Gerard doing stupid hand gestures, the works. It's just boys having fun with music, okay. You know I love happy musicians.
Also, I really like the line "We'd be killing ourselves by sleeping in." Just saying.
Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back
I LIKE THIS SONG. Na na nas! Stupid voices! The chorus! "We can live forever if you've got the time!" I don't have any very deep thoughts on this track, it's just kind of awesome. And honestly this should have been one of the singles. Add a little more energy and you could have set the Sing video to this song.
S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W
sdkfj I adore this song, and I can tell I'm going to be the only one who does. The melody's gorgeous (HOW MANY TIMES CAN I USE THE WORD "GORGEOUS" TO DESCRIBE THIS ALBUM), the Magical Mystery Tour influence is obvious (and amazing), it's CREEPY AS FUCK, and you know I like creep. Especially the way the lyrics contrast with the PRETTY PRETTY MELODY. Love that shit.
Also, the voice filter at the end of the first verse, at "all alone tonight"? I. I really like voice filters, you guys. And the whole instrumental section before the "run bunny run" part, omggggg. Bells! Pretty guitars! AND THEN MORE VOICE FILTERING. Integrating the guitar motif from earlier into the chorus! Nnnnngh your songwriting, boys *_____*
Summertime
Really the best comment I can make about this song is "I WANT TO HOLD HANDS WITH EVERYONE IN THE MOSH PIT AND SWAY." OTP song of my heart, okay. Obvious lyrics about Lyn-Z! Total break from the ROCK ROCK ROCK of earlier! (which is led into by the creepy but mellow S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W to avoid total stark contrast and confusion oh my god this album is so well-constructed you guys I CAN'T EVEN TAKE IT.)
...But yeah basically this is the cutest love song and I don't even like love songs. A+, Gee.
Destroya
OH MY GODDDDDD. Where do I start with this song.
Jungle drums. JUNGLE DRUMS. It's kind of bizarre but I kind of picked up an Extraordinary Girl influence here? But I'm probably crazy, because that song is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Anyway.
LEFT-RIGHT BALANCE HOLY SHIT CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS. Just. The "check-check-check" shifting around in your ears and throwing you off-balance from the start. And then there's the one kind of spoken-word section later, with two different Gerards saying different versions of the chorus, and the contrast just KILLS ME with its amazing.
And the sex noises in Planetary? NOTHING compared to the sex noises made here. Especially with the left-right differences again, holy fuuuuuck you've got some moaning going on in the left and all of a sudden the right appears and throws you off and it's so good, nnnngh.
...And I just realized you can actually still hear the drums from the beginning just hiding in the background at some sections. COHESIVENESS. COHESIVENESS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT GETS ME. FUCKING LEITMOTIFS.
Speaking of leitmotifs, the little section of triplets at the very end? The first three notes, the first time I heard it, I thought the song was ending. Those notes are the kind you end a song with, then fade out. But they turned it into a whole new melody, and oh my god, oh my god I don't care if that wasn't even intentional, it's SO. COOL.
The Kids from Yesterday
This one's fun, I love the little punch of noise at every upbeat, even if you pay too much attention to it it becomes annoying. Okay never mind, it's pounding at my head now. Ow.
Anyway. It's a good sort-of-ending for the album (Vampire Money always seems more like a bonus track to me than anything, even if it's AMAZING and I will get to that in a second), and it's pretty. And depressing? I guess? Again, not a lot of deep thoughts on lyrics. I'll leave that to my lyrical buddies. I should listen to this song more than a few times before actually talking about it.
Goodnite, Dr. Death
...NO SERIOUSLY STEVE RIGH TALK FOREVER. I LOVE YOUR VOICE.
Meanwhile ahahaha this arrangement of the national anthem? I'm pretty sure it's the same one we played in marching band. The snare drum and I used to make little cymbal noises after every line when our cymbal player flaked out on us (which was often). The point is, boys are hilarious and ~aesthetic static~ is hilarious and THAT LAST NOTE HOLY SHIT TERROR. Anyway.
Vampire Money
THIS SONG THIS SONG THIS SONG OH MY GOD.
THE INTRO. 321 WE CAME TO FUCK. I KNOW EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE GSF IMPLICATIONS BUT SERIOUSLY.
I just love everything about this. It's fun to listen to, it's a good tempo to walk to if you're in a hurry (yes I judge songs by their BPM now, it's very important when you walk around campus every day), it's just FUN. Sparkle like Bowie in the morning sun! Sparkle like Bowie in the morning sun! I CAN'T EVEN TAKE THIS ALBUM OH MY GOD.
And the fact that this song is about TWILIGHT and WHY MYCHEM DIDN'T WRITE A SONG FOR TWILIGHT and and and alskdjflksj I give up. I'm dead. Of amazing. The end.
I would do another quick review of We Don't Need Another Song About California but I really don't have a lot of thoughts on it. Ask a Californian. Or someone who's listened to it more than twice.
Next, fic updates!
-Pill adventures: Not getting anywhere. Hopefully when I finish my NEW PROJECT I'll finish Frank's part, but I don't see Ray's happening any time soon.
-Pill adventures sidenote: I wrote another sidestory in the same verse-within-a-verse about Mikeyway and Pete in a Wave-Head bar, but I probably won't post that for another little while. Like AFTER I FINISH PILL ADVENTURES.
-Various terrible big bang ideas: On hold! Would like to work on more Songbirds but I require a braintwin.
-Time Lords: I have a new one open and waiting to be worked on, but...it kind of sucks at the moment.
-Recent exploits: OKAY, THIS IS THE BIG ONE. So someone posted "Stockholm syndrome" on the Killjoys kink meme, right. And I don't think I'm actually going to post anything there, but I saw it, and 1st_eggokage and I started talking, and this is why you don't let us talk because THREE DAYS LATER I have FIVE THOUSAND WORDS of Mikeyway getting kidnapped and interrogated written in a document. And another thousand words in the form of texts to 1st_eggokage and madcap_shiny. I'm. A really bad person. Hopefully that will get done in the next...month. But knowing me it'll be done in a week because I will STAY UP UNTIL SIX AM WRITING LIKE A CRAZY PETE WENTZ PERSON.
...Also I think at some point I'm going to end up writing Gerard getting interrogated from inside the body bag. Thank you, Kyriescarce.
...And then I have to write happyfic to be forgiven for all this nonsense. >:|
SO YEAH THAT'S MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. Except I have to go research forniphilia for my final seminar project now. Wheeeeeee.