Definitely a Bop /// Music Monday #63

It is that time once again. That time where we celebrate the universal language of music. That time where we plug in our headphones and enjoy the tunes. That time is now. That time is called . . .

And today, our song is . . .

"Just Friends" from Star vs. the Forces of Evil

Remixed/covered by CG5 (feat. Caleb Hyles)

When I discover lyrical songs that I love, I tend to go through a season of listening to that song a lot. "Just Friends" was one of those songs for me. How I found it is kind of an interesting story.

So my friend Christine (you might know her by her full name, Christine Smith, formerly blogging on Musings of an Elf but now she has her own domain and everything with a cool blog that you should check out here) mentioned on Twitter sometime this year that she was watching Star vs. the Forces of Evil and loving it. I knew CG5 had covered some songs from the show, so I was like, "I should go listen to them and see if I should share them with Christine."

When I heard "Just Friends," I instantly fell in love--which is funny, because people have described it as being the "ultimate friendzone theme." And normally, I prefer the original over the remixes or covers when it comes to music, but this is not the case for this particular song. I think CG5's musical style and Caleb Hyles's voice are just a lot more powerful and captivating than the version from the show.

And yes, the song is a bop. I dare you to listen to it and not tap to the beat or bob your head or anything. Bet you can't. What makes it so interesting, though, is that the actual lyrics are not nearly as happy as the music. When you think about it, it's kind of a sad song. I'm not sure if this is becoming a trend, having the lyrics be emotional and the music itself be upbeat (like "Happier" by Marshmello and Bastille, for example), but if it is, I don't mind . . . provided it's done right. Like anything else in the world.

I'll let you enjoy the song and its video now! What did you think of it, or of the lyrics in particular? Do you agree that it's meant to be a sad song (because the original was also upbeat), or does the music detract from that?

One Final Spook /// Music Monday #62

Are you ready for one final spook for the season? 'Cuz lemme tell ya, having only two Music Mondays in October is not nearly enough for all the creepy songs. As I did last year, I'll borrow one of November's slots for another Halloween-ish track.

Our song for today is a lyrical one, called . . .

"We Want Out"

Composed by DAGames

Believe it or not, there are YouTuber singers/musicians who are actually really good at what they do. While I don't personally care for all of DAGames's stuff--partially because I'm not that much into metal--I do recognize that he has a lot of talent. And in this song, he pulls together other skilled artists, JTMusic, Dan Bull, BSlick, and InuTrash, to create a pretty darn awesome song.

Now, you may have heard about the popular Five Night's at Freddy's franchise, an indie horror series developed by one Scott Cawthon. The games have taken the internet by storm, inciting loads of reactions from fans. Some have gone on to create their own fan games, in which there are actually well-done and creative titles among mere copycats that try to ride on the fame. People have done loads of fanart, while others make songs based on the games. "We Want Out" is based off of the first FNaF installment.

This song somehow manages to be a bop while still having some unsettling music. The drills you hear in the background really do a lot to keep that mechanical atmosphere of the animatronics. The choir adds a lot to the main chorus, which, by the way, is super fun to sing along with. BSlick's voice is a nice contrast from the rougher tones of DAGames, JTMusic, and Dan Bull, and InuTrash's vocals are a great touch on the bridge . . . or whatever you would call the part of the song that she sings in.

Anyway, because this is a "proper" song with a lyric video for you to watch, I'll stop talking now. Don't want you to distract you from the music!

What'd you think of the song? Would you agree that these musicians are talented, or would you argue that they aren't? Have you heard of FNaF before, and if so, what're your thoughts on the franchise?

Monthly HapPENings: October

Whoever decided that we should be five-sixths of the way through the year, I'm gonna hunt you down, and I'm gonna . . . give you a stern talking-to.

I know I did some social stuff this last month, but I can't really remember everything that I did. I went out for coffee with a friend, had supper with two others, got supper and coffee/dessert with my cousin . . . Not sure what else I did. Oh yeah, there was Thanksgiving, with one family gathering and having one of my grandmas over for supper. Other than that, I don't really think I had too many interesting social or life events.

Bookish HapPENings

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So I've given a lot of flack to the Maze Runner series, because they just aren't as good as the movies are--in my opinion. I would, however, say that each book has been better the last, and The Death Cure is no exception. It's definitely the best book in the original trilogy, though it still suffers from some of the same issues of the other titles, such as the lackluster "Thomas felt this" or "Thomas felt that." The ending also felt a little rushed. Other than that, it was a pretty decent read.

HapPENings on the Screen

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When the Assassin's Creed movie came out, no one seemed to have anything positive to say about it. I was still very curious about it and picked it up for pretty cheap, even though I hadn't watched it yet. I finally got around to it, and I must say, it was a great movie! There wasn't anything incredibly stellar about it that would make me say, "You have to see this!" But I also wouldn't tell people that it wasn't worth watching. It's a pretty solid video game movie, as far as they go (Detective Pikachu is still the best one), and the soundtrack really stuck out to me and felt like it belonged in the AC universe. I also think Michael Fassbender really nailed his role; it almost seemed like he had less dialogue to feel more like a game character. Also also, I can really appreciate and respect that all of the historical scenes, which took place in Spain, had Spanish dialogue with no English to be heard. Go watch this and lemme know what you think.

Daaang, S4 of The Flash is getting SO good! I'd heard kinda mixed reviews about the season, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. They're adding a lot of interesting plot points and making things even more difficult for the heroes. I'm still not sure where it's all leading up to, but I'm loving it.

ONE MORE EPISODE UNTIL I'M DONE S1 OF AVATAR AAAAHHHH! . . . Sorry, just had to get that out of my system. I'm enjoying this show way more than I thought I would. Things are definitely not looking up for Aang and the gang (ha, aren't I a brilliant poet?). I can't wait to see where the show goes from here.

Can I just say that Trollhunters is a great show and you should watch it? Because it is, and you should! I'm really digging the current plot structure of the show, which is the protagonists hunting down special items to help them complete their current "mission," if you will. And the villain, man, the villain! There's more than one antagonist, but Angor Rot in particular is both hecking cool and creepy! Add this show to your must-watch list.

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Since my youngest two sisters and I finished S7 of Ninjago, we decided to take a temporary break from it and start Nexo Knights. It's entertaining, to be sure, but I'm not entirely sold on it yet. I suppose I can't really say much, since I've only watched one episode so far. My favorite aspect is that the two villains, Jestro and the Book of Monsters, are voiced by actors from Ninjago. Considering their roles in that show, the dynamic between their characters in this one is extra amusing.

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When I started The Guardians, I found it difficult to get into. I mean, I've never seen a K-drama before, so this was a new experience for me. But now I'm hooked, and I'm really curious to see how the plot unfolds. I sense a vigilante group is going to form to take justice into their own hands . . .

Let me just come out and say it: My Hero Academia is the perfect anime show. It has fantastic and colorful characters, the plot is super intriguing, the humor is always on-point, and I definitely feel like it's going to kick in some really deep emotional stuff when I least expect it. And the best part is that I have a minimum amount of spoilers for the show, which makes me super happy, because I tend to stumble across lots of spoilers. Knowing nothing about what direction the plot is going to take is such a great feeling. I MUST WATCH MORE.

Okay, so I think Attack on Titan is the other perfect anime. I'm so hooked on it; even The Flash hasn't captured me the way this show has. Even when an episode doesn't do much to advance the plot, it's still super interesting. I think the reason for that is that the characters are developing even in those moments, and it makes you really invested in them. It's a good tip for writers: even if there's not much plot momentum, make sure that there's always character momentum. Also, did I mention that I love this so much that I've already bought the soundtrack for S1? I know, I'm a nerd.

Gaming HapPENings

I'm nearing the end of the final chapter of Justice For All. The last two cases in the first Ace Attorney game were pretty intense, and I knew the sequel had a lot to live up to. But it has definitely done the job, because things are getting so crazy. I can't really talk about it without getting into spoilers, but trust me when I say that it's very engrossing. I hope to finish up this weekend! (Not sure how long I'll be able to wait before I play Trials and Tribulations, though . . .)

Writerly HapPENings

I wrote nothing in October, which probably isn't a good thing. I did, however, get published on Havok with From the Mind of the Dead, which is definitely a good thing! So . . . I don't know where that leaves me overall. But I am doing NaNo this month, so you can expect more from me in this category next time.

Okay, I'm done. Tell me how your months went! Are you watching as many shows as I am? Have you finally got around to playing the Ace Attorney series yet? Because if you haven't, you should!