It's Been a While . . . /// Music Monday #70

Well, would you look at the time? Guess you're in for another Music Monday post!

I realized something today: in all the years I've been doing this, I've shared only one Audiomachine song. That changes now, with . . .

"Atragon" from the Audiomachine album Magnus

Composed by Danail Getz

I still can't get over the fact that I haven't showcased more than one Audiomachine song in two and a half years. That's just crazy talk! But Magnus is my favorite album of theirs, and Tracey suggested that I pick a track from there. So you can thank her that you're now listening to this.

Everything about the song is excellent. It starts off quietly, atmospherically. Almost like you're floating in space. Then the rest of the instruments kick in, sounding kinda muffled. They proceed to come to the forefront, with a choir joining in. It builds up before seemingly coming to an end. A brief pause then leads to the conclusion.

I don't know why I love this song so much. Is it it because of the circular buildup, winding ever higher and higher? Maybe. Is it because the track somehow manages to sound triumphant, like a heroic finale, while also conveying a deep stirring not unlike heartache? Perhaps. Is it simply because it's epic? That could very well be.

Whatever the case, this song is awesome. I'm definitely using it on a story playlist sometime. Actually, I think I did use it for a playlist that I made for a friend, but I haven't added it to any of mine yet. Honestly, though, the whole Magnus album is like a story waiting to be written. If you have not heard it yet, find an hour to do so. It'll be well worth your time, trust me. Audiomachine makes some excellent music.

So that was my second Audiomachine song on the blog! What'd you think of it? What kind of emotions does it bring up in you when you listen to it?

The Music Monday 2019 Awards - Round 2

Well, ladies and gents, we finally did it. We are now finished with round 1 and moving on to the round that is not only the second one, but is also the second last and the second hardest! That's right, we're on round 2!

Before we move forward, we first must take a look behind us and see who the victors of round 1.3 are. Let's the examine the results, shall we? Unfortunately, we only had 7 participants instead of 9, so we'll see if/how that affects the winners.

September: This was a very close match-up--and probably an unfair one too. "The Search" came out on top with 4 votes. Does this mean that people found the kind of good music that they were searching for?

October: Nabbing 5 of the votes, "Majora's Mask" now wears the crown for the spookiest track of the year. (Though honestly, I think it might've been more like 5 people were unwilling to admit just how much "Your Best Nightmare" freaked them out.)

November: In another intense fight for the glory, the one that scratched and clawed its way to the top was "Just Friends" with 4 votes. Seriously, who knew the anthem of the friend zone could be such an extreme bop?

December: This one wasn't even a contest. "Oliver Queen Suite" captured 6 of the participants' hearts, and who can blame them? At least "Mountaintop Secrets" got 1 vote, but "Forgotten Castle" remains true to its name.

This is where the Awards move from the "very hard" status to "quite difficult," before arriving at "nigh impossible" in round 3. You'll be voting for the best song of three months. Remember, the winners here will be the finalists in the 2019 Awards.

January, February, and March

"Main Theme" from A Hat in Time

versus "Dragon Roost Island" from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

versus "The Kraken" from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

April, May, and June

"Grape Garden" from Kirby's Return to Dream Land

versus "Beyond the Mirror" from Zelda Cinematica

versus "History Maker" by Dean Fujioka

July, August, and September

"Brave Enough" by Lindsey Stirling

versus "Fireworks" from Animal Crossing: New Leaf

versus "The Search" by NF

October, November, and December

"Majora's Mask" from Children of Termina

versus "Just Friends" remixed/covered by CG5 and Caleb Hyles

versus "Oliver Queen Suite" from Arrow: Season 1

I bet you're all loving me right now, huh? You only have yourselves to thank for this, as these songs are what you chose! Now remember, you have until the end of March 1st to vote for round 2. If you feel so led, tell other people about it. Getting more participation in the last two rounds is always great.

Until next time!

It's Time for Love /// Music Monday #69

Well, well, well . . . it's time for another Music Monday post!

And because Valentine's Day is this week, I figured we should do a love song for today. It's a very different one, though. It is . . .

"Cherish" from the Hey Mama! album

Composed by EXO-CBX

So yeah, my youngest two sisters listen to a lot of K-pop. As it turns out, some of the songs I really enjoy, such as this one. I dunno what exactly makes this song stand out to me--the funky, upbeat melody or the smooth vocals of the three guys--but I dig it.

You may have heard of EXO, or you may have not. They're a pretty popular band, not just in South Korea, but around the world. The singers often perform in other groups, usually smaller versions of the EXO crew. CBX is one such example, as it is composed of three EXO dudes: Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin. (I'm probably explaining this all really terribly, so if you want better answers, ask my sisters.)

This is actually my first time seeing the full English lyrics, and I quite like them! I mean, don't get me wrong, hearing the Korean lines with a few English ones thrown in is obviously what got me hooked on the song in the first place. But it's also nice to know what those lines translate to. Some of my favorites are ones like, "My entire world is becoming dyed by you." Like honestly, isn't that kind of heartwarming and romantic? I could totally see myself saying something similar to my girlfriend one day . . . once I get one, of course.

And also the main chorus! "You shine like a miracle, you're just so beautiful/I guess I must've wandered so long/Just so I could meet you in the end/In this moment, I'm gonna cherish you." I feel like cherish isn't a word we use often anymore. The simplest definition is, "to hold dear." When I eventually start dating, I want to make sure that my girlfriend knows I don't just love her, but that I'm also gonna cherish her. After all, you only cherish what you consider truly valuable in your life, right?

Lastly, the final rendition of the main chorus says, "All my roads lead to you, the light that links us together." I think when you love someone deeply, it can change you. They can become the north to your heart's compass. Now, I'm aware of how the whole "follow your heart" message isn't always an accurate or reliable one. All I'm saying is that the most real kind of love will always draw people together again. Nothing can stand in the way of them. That's the love I want to strive for in every relationship: one that always cherishes the other person.

What did you think? Was it an appropriate choice for this week, and a good representation of K-pop? Do you agree or disagree with my interpretation of the lyrics?

Monthly HapPENings: January

Oh . . . I guess the first month of 2020 has come and gone already. Craziness, I tell ya.

Life has been a bit interesting lately, not gonna lie. Work has had more than its fair share of challenges and stresses, but I'm trying to pull through. Really hope it'll ease up soon, though.

I've had a very active social life for the past while, which I quite enjoy. I've hung out with friends, gone out for coffee with one of my uncles, spent an evening with a cousin, etc. Other than that, I don't if anything terribly exciting has happened, life-wise. Oh yeah, one of my cousins got married, so that was also a thing.

Bookish HapPENings

I didn't finish any books this last month, due to those challenges that life has presented. Perhaps I'll do more reading in February. Fingers crossed . . . ?

HapPENings on the Screen

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I finally got around to watching Far From Home, and dang, was that a fantastic film! I can't decide if it's better than Homecoming or just as good. I loved the dynamic between Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal. The plot was very intriguing and always kept me hooked. And the visuals for that one scene! Holy crap, was that incredible. It was like they were trying to beat Dr. Strange in terms of weird-but-cool CGI stuff. Also, the end credits scene was very unexpected. All in all, a stellar movie that I will definitely be watching again!

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Tomb Raider was another movie that took a while for me to finally watch. I definitely think it's one of the best video game films yet. You didn't need to know the source material to fully enjoy it (like the Assassin's Creed movie), while it still did throw some nods to the games. I always enjoy the Indiana Jones type of story, so I obviously enjoyed this one. It didn't go crazy with the supernatural elements in the end (like Kingdom of the Crystal Skull did), and it was an intense, action-packed ride that knew when to pause for breaths. The twist at the very end has me excited for the sequel. And Junkie XL's score was phenomenal, as per usual. You should definitely see this if you haven't yet!

So the second half of Once's fourth season is . . . decent. It's better than the first half, in some respects, but it's still not great. I have to wonder if the first half of S3 is going to remain my favorite part of the show. Which is kinda sad, considering it's seven seasons long. I suppose I'll have to reserve judgment until I see more.

I finished S4 of The Flash, and again, I really don't see why some people consider this an inferior season. I thought it was pretty amazing all-around. The very last part of the final battle didn't feel as intense as it maybe should've, and the twist at the end wasn't as great as the previous three seasons' . . . though that's probably because I'd had the twist spoiled beforehand without realizing it. Other than that and some aspects of the crossover, great season!

I'm really enjoying Avatar's second season! It's definitely taken things up a notch from S1, in every aspect from the plot to the stakes to even the humor. Seriously, there've been some times that I have laughed so hard, it's fantastic. ("No, Momo, shh.") Can't wait to keep watching and see where it goes!

I finished S1 of My Hero Academia, and OH MY GOSH, did it get incredibly intense at the end there! Seriously, I was not expecting it to go where it did. Some of the villains were so creepy/cool, especially the guy with a bunch of hands all over him. (Can't remember his name, because it's Japanese and difficult to memorize.) I can only imagine that things are gonna get crazier from here . . . which I love!

Also finished S1 of Attack on Titan. Man . . . what an ending. I'm left with a lot more questions than answers. Things did not go anywhere that I expected them to. And while the ending wasn't quite as intense as one of the other episodes in some regards, it was still great. I eagerly anticipate S2, once I've finished watching the OVAs.

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Yes, I am now watching the cult classic, Firefly. I've only seen three episodes so far, but it's been very enjoyable thus far. It's a shame that Fox did Joss and the rest of team dirty when the show originally aired, because it deserves all the recognition it can get. It surprisingly doesn't show its age all that much, and it has some very intriguing character dynamics. Still haven't decided who my favorite character is yet . . . I might just have to wait until the end before I can finalize my choice.

Gaming HapPENings

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So I completed the main storyline in Planet Robobot, and it was a thrilling conclusion. Kirby games never hold back when it comes to final bosses, and this was no exception. In fact, the final battle and its three phases might be the strongest reason for why Planet Robobot is one of my top favorite Kirby titles. It was really unique with epic music to boot, and had a nice callback to Super Star Ultra (my first-ever Kirby game). I don't want to spoil any of it, because you should play this game if you haven't. Well worth your time and money.

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I recently completed Katana Zero, and it just might be one of the greatest indie games that I've ever played. You take on the role of the Dragon, an assassin given assignments in a grim, dystopian city. But there's more to it than that: he is on a drug called Chronos, which allows him to manipulate time. You'll have to solve puzzle-action sequences, where you kill everyone in a room without being killed yourself; if you are, you have to retry that room. Some end up being pretty challenging; there's a lot of language, and things get bloody. But the story is gripping, with an ending that took me by surprise and had me mulling over the game and desperately wanting a sequel. The score is also extremely dope, by the way. So you should at least look into the game.

Writerly HapPENings

I didn't write anything this past month. What with how life has been, I just haven't been in the right headspace to do any--well, except for some blog posts. I hope to increase my writing time soon, but we'll have to see what happens over the course of the next month.

That was my January. How was yours? Did you do anything fun and exciting? Talk to me about your recent media consumption (books/movies/shows/games)!

The Music Monday 2019 Awards - Round 1.3

Here we are, folks, at the next round of the Music Monday Awards!

Just like last time, we had nine participants for the previous round. Let's see how they voted for the months of May to August. (And yes, two of them technically couldn't post their votes, but there's been a couple weird glitches with this lately. So their votes that they messaged to me still count.)

May: Receiving 6 votes, "Beyond the Mirror" claimed the victory. But seriously, it's hard to argue against an epic, orchestral medley of Zelda tunes. That's practically the ultimate song.

June: This was a close battle, but "History Maker" stole the win with 5 votes. Let's be honest: anime theme songs are fantastic. It'd take some serious competition to beat them.

July: In the intense matchup of three songs, "Brave Enough" pulled through with 5 of the votes. It seems it resonated with more people, which is totally understandable. (And if you're wondering, the other two tracks both received 2 votes.)

August: It was another tight victory, but 5 people chose "Fireworks." I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Animal Crossing music is the best. I think it's safe to say that was the general consensus in this fight.

Now it's time for the last four months to duke it out! Theoretically, this should be the toughest round yet . . .

September

"Faded (Restrung)" by Alan Walker

versus "The Search" by NF

October

"Majora's Mask" from the Children of Termina album

versus "Your Best Nightmare" from Undertale

November

"We Want Out" by DAGames

versus "Just Friends" remixed/covered by CG5 and Caleb Hyles

December

"Mountaintop Secrets" from Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

versus "Forgotten Castle" from Spiral Knights

versus "Oliver Queen Suite" from Arrow: Season 1

I give this round back to you. You've got two weeks to vote, as usual, which means the deadline is the end of the 16th. I thank you once again for your participation thus far.

Have fun!