Previous case
Victor hadn't been kidding when he'd said that the mechanic was going to become more aggressive. The only reason why this week wasn't my last was because I'd had Orion behind me as well as a plethora of precautions in place.
(If you're not familiar with what Orion Pest Control's services are, it may help to start here.)
For example, at Orion, all employees are advised to get lockboxes for their mail rather than regular mailboxes. It would be far too easy for a Neighbor to follow one of us home and fish out a piece of mail to find our names. This is only recommended for people who've had frequent or unpleasant interactions with the Neighbors.
You could also ward off your mailbox with iron. Salt, as always, would work as well, but I'm sure your mailman wouldn't appreciate getting seasoned every time he simply tries to give you your junk mail.
When it comes to monetary transactions, cash or pre-loaded debit cards are the safest, unless you can be certain beyond a reasonable doubt that the person ringing you out is human.
Another precaution that I've taken when it comes to the mechanic is that I've bought a cast iron fire poker from an antique store. Iron is one of the most effective weapons against the Neighbors, though it's best to think of it as an allergy rather than a perfect repellant. Some Neighbors will crumple instantly if they're within a few feet of it while others need direct contact in order to cause anything worse than hive-covered burns.
Given that the mechanic must have frequent exposure to iron during his daytime profession, I have to wonder how effective it is against him. I do see him wearing gloves from time to time, so it must do something, even if it's a minor skin irritation. Either it's a pride thing or he's just that committed to the ‘mechanic’ bit.
I've been keeping the poker in the company truck. Even if it's not lethal to him, I’m sure that getting smacked over the head with it probably wouldn't feel too good. Along with that, I've restocked my salt shells. If the mechanic decides to try anything, he'll have an arsenal waiting for him.
I don't have any delusions about being able to kill him. I think that's something only a true hero could accomplish. I'm talking about legendary individuals like Cú Chullainn, Beowulf, or Māui. People whose deeds are so great that their stories live on to this day. Find someone like that in the modern age. (Though, I would argue that Marc-André Fluery comes close. Flyers fans, don't interact.)
Reyna suggested bathing the hagstone in saltwater to amplify its deterring effects. She also wrapped red thread along the outside of the ring, explaining that it should help enhance its protective properties.
It's a good thing, too. Since my last interaction with the mechanic, promptly at dusk, I would hear the beating of wings outside, and always from the west. I risked a glance out the window one night to find a murder of crows. Ever since I saw that the birds’ shadows move independently of their owners, I don't look at them. I ignore their calls. I know who they serve.
After Reyna's additions, the hagstone vibrates against my chest whenever they're near.
However, in my case, these were only temporary solutions, unless I wanted to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life and fearing death even more than I did before. But in the meantime… raccoons.
A client called about hearing scratching and chattering in her attic. Her uninvited guest also put a hole in her siding. In other words, it was enough of a mess to momentarily distract me from my own problems.
Raccoons are incredibly destructive, chewing up anything that they can get their little hands on. From the client's description, it sounded like we could be dealing with a nest. Mother raccoons can be especially feisty when it comes to protecting their young, so I had Reyna join me in case there were any kits.
At Orion, we are licensed to use humane trapping methods on smaller wildlife, so don't worry, no garbage kitties are being harmed. Though I want yinz to know that raccoons are not to be underestimated. They may not try to take your soul, like some pests out there will, but they can spread a variety of diseases, including rabies and roundworm among others. They also present a major fire hazard when they claw their way into a home since they can chew through wiring like nothing.
The first thing we had to do was identify the garbage kitties’ entry point. Reyna opted to go on the roof while I investigated the attic.
The first thing I noticed was the telltale stench of dried urine. Yup, those were droppings over there in the corner. Delightful. Looking around, I found that the raccoons had torn out a few chunks of the insulation, but nothing that wouldn't be too difficult or expensive to replace. All in all, it seemed like it'd be an easy call.
Then I felt the hagstone begin to tremble. Not long after, Reyna screamed.
I rushed out, my heart surging with panic as I was greeted with the frenzied calls of crows. Shit! They followed me.
She was on the ground, swinging her silver-tipped knife clumsily against the swarm of black feathers swirling around her. I heard her cry out again as I got closer to her, then suddenly, the cloud of feathers dispersed, twisting towards the sky with a cacophony of angered caws. Reyna had managed to get some salt on them before they could gouge her eyes out.
My hand was coated with blood as I guided Reyna towards the house. She'd managed to keep her eyes, but they’d shredded her with their beaks and talons. I could feel her shaking as we retreated from the horde. Reyna tried to hide it, but she was crying, the tears mingling with the blood covering her nose and cheeks like a bandit's mask.
The whole time, the hagstone didn't stop vibrating. I think that was the only thing keeping the horde from coming after us. Their calls were piercing as we took cover in the house.
The client was alarmed when she saw the state Reyna was in, “What psycho ass raccoons do I have?!”
I promised I'd explain later (I honestly don't remember what bullshit story I gave her) then asked her to watch over Reyna as I went out to get the emergency first aid kit we keep in the truck.
Reyna held me in a grip so tight that it left bruises, pleading, “Don't go out there! Please!”
Now that we weren't on the run, I could see the injuries on her face more clearly. The deepest one went through her right eyebrow towards the bridge of her nose. The rest were shallow, painful-looking cuts that criss crossed over her skin.
“They can't come near me. And I’ve got something in the truck that’ll make them think twice.” I assured her.
She didn't let go. I couldn't find it in me to pry her fingers off, so instead, I put my hand over hers, hoping that it was comforting.
The client gently pressed a paper towel to the side of Reyna’s face, her voice heart-achingly motherly as she uttered, “It's okay, honey. Everything's going to be alright.”
I'm not sure if it was from pain or something else, but Reyna noticeably stiffened when the client spoke to her in that maternal tone, closing her eyes as if to keep more tears from falling. Her clutch loosened until my wrist was freed, her hand dropping limply to her side.
The fucking birds sounded like they were laughing when I marched out to the truck. The sound grated on me as I snatched the fire poker and the first aid kit.
“Laugh at this!” I snapped as I swung the poker at the nearest crow.
It let out a squeal as the poker grazed its wing, hopping as far out of reach as it could afterwards. They didn't cackle after that.
After we cleaned Reyna's injuries up, they didn't look quite as terrible, but just to be safe, I dragged her to the hospital. Thankfully, the client was an absolute angel about the whole thing and understood that one of our employees being injured was going to be a setback. I called up Victor to inform him of the situation as well as the entry points that we’d found; he took over where Reyna and I left off.
On the way to the hospital, Reyna muttered, “So… does my little Alfred Hitchcock moment initiate me as an official Orion employee?”
Wearily, I gave her a small chuckle, “Yeah, you're one of us, now. Lucky you!”
“Hey, I’ll take the murder birds over Psycho Mantis.” She replied with a small smile.
Her nickname for the mechanic. I think it's from a video game. I don't know. Never quite got into them.
It was quiet for a moment. The smile faded away as she distantly said, “I think that's how they do it. They take your eyes, they take you, you know?”
I nodded, feeling a lump in the back of my throat, thinking about how the mechanic can control someone just by meeting their gaze. “I think you might be right about that.”
I couldn't help but wonder if the Hunt had attacked her simply because she's an Orion employee or if they were drawn to her because of something else. Was she grieving over something? I didn't know her well enough at that point to be able to tell. They hadn't hesitated to go for her eyes. If that was the case, that'd make her the most vulnerable of the three of us.
Another thing I want yinz to know when it comes to dealing with the atypical: if you or a loved one has been harmed, one of the best things you can do is to support the victim. And if you need support yourself, ignore that stupid little voice in your head that tells you not to bother anyone and reach out. Isolation will destroy you in more ways than one.
After I got Reyna settled at the hospital, I made a beeline to the river to find another hagstone. Clearly, Reyna was going to need one, too.
Naturally, the stupid birds followed me, causing my hagstone to quiver nonstop. I went into the woods armed with my toolbelt and the iron poker. I opted out of taking the shotgun simply because I was going to need a free hand to look for another hagstone. There was a part of me that hoped that one of them would try something so that I'd have the opportunity to smack the shit out of them.
While I was searching, among the crows’ calls, I heard whispers. They sounded close, like they came from behind some brush about twenty feet away, but I believed the False Egg when it said that the whispering thing likes to confuse its victims. Without listening to what they were saying, I glanced around as the river's cold water rushed around my boots, trying to figure out what was stalking me.
The whispers pretended to move further away. But still, I couldn't see the thing causing them. I clutched the poker tighter. The crows had stopped their chattering. They heard the voices, too. Hold on. What were they all looking at?
Gingerly, I pulled out the hagstone and held it to my eye in the direction of the crows' gazes. At first, it looked like one of the trees, until I was able to make out a triangular head with eyes the size of basketballs. It held up two massive, folded appendages that were lined with sharp spines. It looked to be as tall as a draft horse, yet it was so still that I couldn't even tell if this huge animal was breathing. The whispers were quieter than they'd ever been before.
Those huge eyes were fixed on me. I didn’t dare move.
One of the ‘crows’ glided to the ground near to the whispering thing, passing in front of my field of view. I stifled a shudder when I saw the state of its frail, humanoid body. Its skin clung like molten wax to its ribs and spine. Tattered wings extended from the sides of its torso, the feathers looking as if they were ripped from numerous other avians and fused to the miserable animal's stretched, contorted arms to make it fly. Where the eyes should have been were empty sockets. A curved beak had been forced onto the creature as well, driven into the skull hard enough to leave ridged, fleshy lumps.
Now that I've seen it, I think the crows were human, once. Transformed and disfigured to serve the Wild Hunt.
The crow shuffled a little too close to the whispering thing. Quicker than a blink, the whispering thing's folded appendage shot forward, curving around the crow's midsection, spikes driving into the crow's torso. My mind could barely keep up as the whispering thing then bit the crow's head clean off with a terrible crunch.
The other crows began to frenzy, shrieking as they dove towards the whispering thing. Without having to take a step, it snatched another crow out of the air. Flesh ripped with a wet tearing sound.
Since the animals were all focused on each other, I took the opportunity to dig frantically around for a hagstone, holding my own against my eye in the hopes it would lead me to another one.
There was a low hum that I felt more than heard. Deep within my chest, as if I was standing next to an amp at a concert. This was followed by an enraged screech from one of the crows. Still, I kept looking.
There had to be one. There just had to be!
One circular, black rock stood out among the rest, the water seeming to outline it from the view of my hagstone. There! I plucked it out of the water, looking over my shoulder to see if either the crows or the whispering thing were paying attention to me. They were too engrossed with trying to tear each other apart.
I shoved the black hagstone into my pocket and made a break for it, poker at the ready. One of the crows noticed and let out an ear-splitting cry to alert the others.
As I ran, I checked back to see that three of the crows split off to pursue me. I wasn't worried about them catching me. The whispering thing was another matter. This was only my second time encountering it and I hadn't had enough information to identify it, so I didn't want to find out the hard way if the defenses I had on me would be enough to stop it from tearing me apart like it did the crows.
There was another low hum that rumbled against my ribs as the whispering thing used one of its forelegs to swipe a crow out of its way. It had lost interest in them, its huge amber eyes focused on me once again. I prayed that the crows swarming around it would be enough to slow it down.
As I raced through the trees back to where the company truck waited, the whispers started anew. They became louder and clearer the faster I went, interrupted by the shrill cries of the crows tailing me. I did my best not to listen to any of them. The last thing I needed was to get led astray by any of my pursuers.
A crow swooped close enough for me to smack it with the poker. The sound the bird made when the iron scalded its skin made my teeth clench. The others joined it, bringing me to my knees, my ears ringing. High pitched, grating, like broken glass against a chalkboard. Disoriented, I swung desperately with the iron poker again, not hitting anything.
And among all that, the whispers hadn't stopped. My head rang, ears going numb. I swung again. One of the shrieks stopped as the poker found its mark. Even as the auditory assault continued, I got to my feet, grabbing the trees closest to me to keep myself going. The whispers became even more frantic as its prey got further and further away. The truck was right there.
The two crows tailing me had finally stopped their dreadful screaming and simmered down to furious clicking sounds with their beaks, as if they could think of nothing but stripping the flesh from my bones.
When one tested the limits of the hagstone as I got close to the truck, I swatted at it with the poker, the tip colliding with the creature's skull. The crow’s body crashed against an oak’s trunk, then went still.
As soon as I cleared the treeline, the whispering stopped. I looked over my shoulder. The whispering thing was retreating, only visible for a brief moment before blending in among the trees.
It couldn't leave the forest. That was good to know.
I closed myself into the truck, leaving the furious crows outside. They glared at me from the branches of a nearby oak. After taking a moment to collect myself, I drove back to the hospital, wanting to hand the black hagstone off to Reyna before anything else.
At a stop sign, I got a text from Victor: he had finished setting traps for the client's raccoon infestation and was going to meet me at the hospital.
Reyna was chilling in her hospital bed, face bandaged, wearing a hideous blue hospital gown decorated with faded green and pink squares.
“Guess who got her rabies shots!” She announced with a sleepy grin, holding her hand up in a shaka.
Someone was clearly given the good painkillers.
Victor arrived a few minutes later, wearing a black mask that covered his mouth and nose, smelling strongly of lavender. It made my nose itch.
“Why do you smell like an old lady?” I complained.
The mask intensified his withering stare, voice muffled by the mask, “Lotta blood around here. Probably wouldn't be too good if I smelled it.”
Reyna chimed in, slurring slightly, “If you're gonna eat anyone, go for the receptionist. He was reading Anne Rice, so he'd probably be into it.”
It was Reyna's turn to get The Glare. He said flatly, “You're high as a kite, aren't you?”
Reyna flashed a peace sign.
To summarize Reyna's condition, she's as okay as she can be. They had to close up her eyebrow and cheek, and they gave her a plethora of shots to make sure that she didn't catch any diseases from the crows. The hospital doctor wanted to keep her overnight to make sure that she didn't have an infection, then afterwards, she was going to take some time off of work to recover.
Also, I slipped the black hagstone into her purse so that it wouldn't be misplaced.
After we discussed Reyna's injuries, I decided to address the elephant in the room, “So… what can we do about the mechanic?”
Reyna shrugged, “Grovel and plead for our lives?”
Victor rubbed his eyes. “We might be a bit past that point.”
I asked Victor about the specifics of his deal with the mechanic. I knew that there had to be some sort of condition that had to be fulfilled before the mechanic could take someone, otherwise I probably wouldn't be alive to type this right now. Reyna was equally curious.
The boss seemed reluctant to speak on this matter, at first. I told Victor that he didn't have to share anything if there was any possibility of retaliation. The last thing I wanted was for him to be punished in some horrific manner for trying to help me.
He eventually shrugged a shoulder in resignation, “Whatever happens, I can handle it. It didn't take him long to figure out that I was the one that helped you find the hagstone. That wasn't pleasant, but…” He went quiet for a second, his eyes glazing in a way that reminded me of when I first came home from active duty. He then shrugged again, “I'm willing to risk it if that means getting a chance to hurt him back someday. Lord knows it's been a long time coming.”
He didn't tell us what the consequences had been for assisting me, and neither Reyna nor I pressed the issue. Some mysteries are best left unsolved.
Even though I was nervous to hear the answer, I didn't pull any punches and straight up asked, “Why hasn't the mechanic sent you after me yet?”
Victor considered for a moment, then explained, “I'm not sure on the specifics, since the mechanic doesn’t tell me anything other than what I need to know to get the job done. But from what I can tell, he takes those who are dead, dying, or… ‘dead inside,’ I guess is the best way to put it. Some souls appear to be harder for him to take than others. The hard ones need to be… broken down first. As of right now, he says you're not ready.”
Reyna numbly asked, “So if the birds tried to nab me, does that mean that I am ‘ready’? That they could take me at any moment?”
Victor hesitated before replying, “We won't let that happen. Alright?”
Reyna nodded, eyes low.
I wanted to ask her what was going on. Figure out why she was suffering in a way that made her fair game to the crows. But she'd been through enough for one day. That discussion could wait for another time.
My next question was another one that I dreaded the answer to, “And where do you come into all of this, Vic?”
Regretfully, Victor admitted, “I bring him the ones that are ready if he can't get to them himself.”
He glanced at Reyna, “As of right now, keep that hagstone on at all times. Even wear it when you're sleeping. The mechanic didn't know who you were initially, but I guarantee the fucking Lessers tipped him off. I think he’s more focused on Nessa, at the moment, but if I get sent after you, hit me with iron, salt me, do whatever and don't feel bad about it. Same goes for you, Nessa.”
I hated this. I hated that he was being used like this. I hated that he spoke about someday being sent to drag one of us to meet our fate at the hands of the Wild Hunt as if it was unavoidable.
The air suddenly felt like it was much thinner in the room. Somehow, I got enough oxygen to ask, “What if I learned the mechanic's true name? Would that end this?”
Victor let out a soft scoff, rubbing the bridge of his nose over his mask, “Probably, but good luck with that.”
I had already figured that the mechanic wouldn't dance around a fire singing his true name all willy nilly like Rumpelstiltskin. But I couldn't accept that all of us were screwed. There had to be a way. I had to believe that there was a way.
I announced that I'd be back in the morning. Reyna looked as concerned as her painkillers would allow, while Victor jumped out of his seat.
“What are you going to do?” He demanded.
“I'm going to talk to him.” I replied. “One of us is in the hospital and another one of us is undead-”
“I know it's looking bad right now, but they can easily get worse if whatever you're thinking of doing goes south.” He cautioned.
“I'm just going to see if there's some way I can… I don't know, talk him down? I haven't gotten that far yet, but something needs to be done.”
He didn't look convinced, and with how terrible my argument was, I don't blame him. “I'll go with you.”
I motioned towards Reyna. “And leave her alone?”
Reyna, looking like she was fighting sleep, groggily said, “I got the adder stone and I'm in public. I'll be fine. If you're going to confront Psycho Mantis, you're going to need Vic around more than I will.”
Victor agreed, “Like it or not, you're not handling this alone. Remember what I told you when you got hired in?”
We're not heroes, we're pest control specialists.
You know that thing I said about not isolating yourself? I can be bad about not following my own advice sometimes, especially that one.
Going forward, I do want to note that the decisions that were made on that night were extremely risky and I don't recommend for anyone to repeat them. Believe it or not, we are professionals.
On our way to our destination, we stopped by the 24-hr convenience store. Victor was about to question me until he saw me go for the whipped cream. I also got s'mores supplies, thinking that maybe some bribery would make the mechanic more amiable. I figured that if he rejected them then, hey, I like s'mores, too.
Afterwards, we followed the path to the skull trees.
During our hike, Victor whispered, “That fucker is hubris incarnate, but he's not stupid. If he offers you a deal, know that it's not going to be in your favor. And be careful with the way that he twists words.”
Something noteworthy is that the hagstone doesn't react to Victor. I think it's because he doesn't have the same malicious intentions as his captors. He may have changed after his murder (hell, anyone would) but at his heart, he was still Victor. Meanwhile, as we got closer to the skull tree clearing, I felt the stone gradually begin to quake.
Up ahead, orange light flickered. The mechanic had a small fire going. He lay on a blanket next to it, that cursed banjo on the ground beside him, one arm folded under his head, legs crossed at the ankle. His eyes were closed.
He didn't open them as he greeted us, “I was wondering when you two would show up.”
Keeping my nerves buried beneath the surface, I held up the bag of sugary goodness. “I'm here to negotiate.”
He laughed, still not looking at me. “Are you, now? And what exactly do you think a little thing of cream will get ya?”
“Not much, I imagine.” I said evenly. “But I thought it'd be a good jumping off point.”
Even though I’d originally protested Victor coming with me, I was glad that he was there. I don't think I would've been able to be so level-headed if I'd met with the mechanic alone. It would probably be interpreted as a sign of weakness, but I was counting on that.
As soon as I saw the mechanic begin to crane his neck towards us, I slammed my eyelids shut. He knew way more about me than I'd ever wanted him to know already, and I was afraid of giving him more.
Again, another potential sign of weakness. When it came to trying to get him to back off of Orion a bit, I figured it'd be best if he underestimated me.
I didn't have to see the mechanic to know that he had that wicked grin on his face, “Alrighty. Let's see what you've got.”
A hand that was as cold as the grave gently removed the bag of goodies from my grasp. Victor. Wordlessly, he brought the cavity-inducing offering over to the mechanic. I never realized how quiet his footsteps were until then. He moved like a shadow. He could've been five feet away or five hundred, for all I knew.
There was the rustling of plastic, followed by the trademark sound of whipped cream being sprayed from the nozzle. Sounding slightly less prick-ish, the mechanic told me I had his attention.
I had been trying to find the magic words that would make this whole situation blow over. Nothing that I came up with in my head fit that description.
So I decided to be straight forward, then go from there. “What will it take to de-escalate things between you and Orion?”
The whipped cream wailed once again. A moment later, the mechanic replied, “Why are you asking a question that you already know the answer to?”
“Other than my soul.”
He chuckled softly, the sound too casual and charming for this sinister discussion.
“You know, I’m curious, puppydog,” Fabric rustled. Without looking, I assumed he'd sat up, “Which o’ your parents are you most like?”
Here we fucking go.
I tried to redirect him, “With all due respect, that isn't relevant.”
“Oh, but it is.” His tone of voice brought chills to the back of my neck. “You see, I'd be willing to take a trade. Find a soul as mouth-waterin’ as yours, and all this goes away. Hell, I might even let you rest in peace! You know what choice your father would pick.”
I was hoping that the firelight wouldn't be enough for him to see my face flush and my jaw stiffen. That had touched a nerve, just as he knew it would.
That was also a horrible deal. One that I wouldn't even consider. There was no way that I could condemn someone else to an afterlife of torment. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even that weasel-faced client that I rescued the False Egg from. Not even my father.
Swallowing back the plethora of terrible emotions threatening to bubble up, I suddenly felt Victor subtly squeeze my shoulder supportively. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't hesitate to give anyone who insulted his employees a piece of his mind, but the mechanic was the last Neighbor to mouth off to. That was the best he could do for me, in the moment.
When I informed the mechanic that I wouldn't sacrifice someone else to save my own skin, he laughed again, “If only you knew how many times I heard those exact words! Thing is, I ain't even got started on you, pup. Given enough time, you might find you're more like your old man than you thought.”
I took a deep breath to keep the mixture of dread and anger confined to my chest, then calmly replied, “Sounds like you know exactly how everything will play out. Isn't that boring for you?”
The tension that filled the air after those words left my mouth made my chest feel tight.
The whipped cream can wheezed thoughtfully before the mechanic mildly admitted, “A bit, yeah.”
There it is.
“You already have all of the advantages,” I started, “It’s not much of a hunt if your prey can't even run, is it? There's no challenge in killing something that's already baited and trapped.”
“So, what do you suggest?”
Oh boy. I was about to do one of many things I warned yinz not to do: “The only way I can bring you the excitement you're craving is if I have a fighting chance. And a good one. I'll be searching for your name, but I need to know where to look first.”
His laughter made me suppress a shudder. I remember thinking that I should've known that he'd see through my words like he saw through everything else.
The mechanic then said, “I know what you're trying to do, pup. But the problem is, you're right! It's too easy anymore, especially since y'alls names are just available on the internet for anyone to find. I've been getting kind of soft lately.”
This was his soft side?
The mechanic continued, “You really think you can pull this off, pup? I know you're a fighter and all, but you're not a warrior, not really. Being a soldier ain't the same thing.”
“I may not be Cú Chullainn, but I'm as close as you're going to get in Mercer County. We've got a bit of a warrior shortage around here.”
He snorted, “You seem awfully sure of yourself for someone who can't even look at me.”
“I'm not sure about anything. That's why I'm here, isn't it?”
It was quiet for a moment with only the frogs chirping in the forest able to find their voices. Not even the whipped cream broke up the silence this time. I was tempted to risk peeking through my eyelashes, but managed to resist.
Just as my nerves started getting to me, the mechanic said, “So, you want me to give you a hint. That's a lot to ask, but you knew that already.”
“You want something in return.”
“Hagstone. Smash it.”
No way. It was too valuable. If I gave that up, I was dead. I promptly shook my head.
He sounded amused. “Shoulda known you wouldn't fall for that.”
Looking back, I wondered how many he'd tricked like that. Giving up some form of protection after being misled into thinking the mechanic was going to let them go, only to regret it seconds later. Probably far too many.
He continued, “Alright then, we'll talk for real. I'll give you that hint, but I got some conditions. You get three chances to guess correctly. Each time you guess wrong, you have to give me one of your names starting with your first, middle, then last name. Don't try fucking with me by trying to pass your middle name off as your first.”
That made my throat tighten even more. If I agreed to that, failure wouldn't just spell disaster for me, but for everyone I knew as well. I'd be dragging my mom and anyone else associated down with me. I'd essentially be doing what he already requested: sacrificing others to save my own skin.
I heard Victor faintly, from my right, “Don't!”
The mechanic wasn't pleased, “This ain't about you, blue eyes. This is between me and her.”
The stakes were getting way too high. I couldn't do this. But then what? The Hunt wasn't going to wait around for me to find another way, assuming that there even was one. Victor clearly thought it was a terrible idea. For the record, I did, too. I could feel the boss' eyes on me, willing me not to forget what he'd said earlier about dangerous heroics.
Maybe there was another way and I just couldn't see it. But desperation has a way of messing with your head.
“If I agreed to this,” I started, knowing that I was probably digging my grave even deeper. “And I haven't agreed to anything, just to be clear. If I did this, I'd need the assurance that you won't send your crows or hounds or any others that serve the Wild Hunt after those that I care about. That includes my colleagues and me, for that matter. Like you said, this is between us two.”
The mechanic chuckled and I heard him shift again. “You're feeling awfully bold tonight, aren't you?”
I reminded him, “You want this to be interesting, don't you?”
He considered, then with a click of his tongue replied, “You hear that, blue eyes? Means you, as well. On both sides, mind you. Same with that witch doctor. Yeah, I know about her. I keep mine out of it, if you keep yours out. All's fair, right?”
I didn't feel right with any of this, but the alternative was for things to continue as they were. If that happened, we were all screwed anyway.
“And if I agreed, the hint that you provide will have to be both true and helpful. And it'll also be given in easily understandable American English, no riddles or puzzles or any other forms of confusing phrasing. You’d also have to give it to me tonight. The whole thing would begin after that.”
Once again, he laughed, “Shit, you're not messin' around!”
I know how the Neighbors do deals. If I hadn't mentioned it, he probably would've given me the hint in the form of a riddle spoken in backwards Gaelic.
“Alright, pup, I get the picture. You know what you're dealing with. I’ll play nice.”
His voice had a subtle sardonic edge. Nothing about this was going to be nice, if I chose to go this route, but that wasn't news.
“Oh, and one more thing!” The mechanic added a little too cheerfully. “You have until Samhain. I’m sure you know why.”
It's June already; still a good while away from October, but this year feels like it’s flying by fast, like every other year following 2020. He didn't have to explain why: the Wild Hunt are at their most powerful during Samhain, which for those who don't know, was a Celtic holiday that eventually gave birth to Halloween. It's when the veil between the atypical world and ours is thinnest.
In short, it's a busy day for Orion. Looks like it’s going to be even worse this year.
Victor spoke again, “Can I talk to her for a moment?”
“Nope. You don't get a say. Either she takes it or leaves it.” The mechanic answered curtly.
As I deliberated, there were subtle taps on a tree nearby. Hold on. Morse code. M-I-S-S-I-N-G. What was I missing? Maybe it was because I hadn't clearly spelled out what I wanted to happen if I correctly guessed the mechanic's identity.
“If I accept this bet, then if I find your name, you’ll relinquish your claim on my soul, as well as all other Orion employees, whether they're living, dead, or undead. Have I made that clear?”
After a moment, the mechanic answered, the smirk blatant in his voice, “You have now.”
Of course. It was so simple. If I had gone through with the deal without being specific about the outcome, the mechanic wouldn't have been obliged to release any of us. I would've done all the work to identify him for nothing. Tricky bastard.
Thanks, Victor.
With a heavy sigh, I politely asked the mechanic to repeat everything that we'd just discussed to make sure that he wasn't going to conveniently forget something. To my surprise, he did it without comment, though he sounded like he thought the whole thing was funny. He left nothing out.
When I say that agreeing to this deal was one of the hardest things I've ever done, I mean it.
I instantly had second thoughts the moment I heard the mechanic stand up and cheerfully say, “Well, you ready for that hint? You’re gonna wanna open your eyes for this. I can show you better than I can tell you.”
Oh God, I made a mistake! No. I could do this. I had to.
Black cherries. He was in front of me. Steeling myself, I opened my eyes. The mechanic stood as close as the hagstone would allow, a dark silhouette in front of the crackling flames.
“Blue eyes, would you mind holding puppydog’s hagstone for her? Wouldn't want that gettin’ lost, now, would we?”
What?!
“Don’t get all frantic, I can’t do shit to you until you get your hint, per our agreement,” The mechanic said dismissively as Victor approached me. “You’ll get it back after.”
Victor looked apologetic as he gently removed the most powerful defense I had. He had an odd glint in his eye. Was that defiance?
I’ll get you out of this, Vic. I promise.
The very moment that he was able to, the mechanic grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes.
A church surrounded by black water… A great feast of viscera and wildflowers… Black thorns drinking the blood of the unworthy… The great antlered headdress of the White Son of Mist… Pricking his finger on those horns… He signed in blood…
Victor pulled me back, not giving the mechanic even a picosecond to take full advantage of being outside of the hagstone’s influence. If he hadn't been holding me up, I would've been on the ground, still recovering from what I'd just seen.
“You find that ledger, you find me.” The mechanic said coolly.
That church. It reminded me of something. In the morning, I’m going to check our records. For now, I just want to crash. I'll keep yinz updated.
On the bright side, there weren't any crows waiting for me when I got home.
(Here's an index of all the cases I've discussed so far.)

Hey! Looking to get a tattoo in Irish. I am Celtic pagan, and I saw a cool phrase written in someone else’s tattoo, but I wanted to make sure it’s right before I even think about putting it in ink. The way it was written was “Céile na nDéithe” and it was supposed to mean “servant of the gods”. Is this right? If not, how would you write that phrase in Irish? Thanks!

LLAW HAND
Llaw comes from the Old Welsh lau (hand), from the Proto-Brythonic *lọβ̃ (palm, hand), from the Proto-Celtic *ɸlāmā (palm, hand), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂ (palm, hand), which is also the root of the English word palm (of the hand).
Here are some words and phrases llaw appears in:
– llawio = to handle
– llawiog = handy
– llawedig = handled, used
– llawan = litte hand
– llawagored = generous (“open hand”)
– llawdde = skilful, dexterous (“right hand”)
– llawddwein = palmist (“hand wizard”)
– llawfeddyg = surgeon (“hand doctor”)
– llawfer = shorthand
– llaw(h)ir = generous (“long hand”)
– llawlyfr = handbook, manual
– llawysgrif = manuscript
– llawysgrifen = handwriting, longhand
– llawgymwys = even-handed, impartial, unbiased (“hand equal“)
– llawsafiad = handstand
– blaenllaw = in advance, beforehand, previous (“hand”)
– gerllaw = near, close to, by; at hand (“near hand”)
– heblaw = besides, in addition to; without (“without hand”)
– uwchlaw = above, over, beyond (“over hand”)
– islaw = below, beneath, under (“low hand”)
– llaw flewog = pilfering hand, light fingered (“hairy hand”)
– llaw galed = trouble, rough time, hard time (“hard hand”)
– llaw ganol = intermediary, intermediate (“middle hand”)
– ar bob llaw = on all sides, on every side (“on every hand”)
– o waith llaw = handmade

This is a niche complaint because I listen to way too many basketball related podcasts. And it’s not specific to bill, although he certainly uses it as much as anyone.
I find it really annoying when a talking head prefaces their take with “barring injury”. As in: “barring injury I think the Celtics will be the best team in the east next year.” Or “barring injury I think Anthony edwards will be mvp next year.”
It’s such an obvious caveat that it feels totally unnecessary. Seems as though it should go unsaid except in specific situations. However once you tune into this phrase it’s a baarder-meinoff phenomenon where you will hear it way too much.

Luka has currently been in the league for six seasons and has been both an All-Star and First Team All-NBA in all but his rookie year (a season in which he won rookie of the year). He’s never won MVP but his been in the top couple several times. Barring a miraculous comeback by the Timberwolves, he’s very likely to appear in his first finals this year and might possibly win his first ring. If he does win the ring, there’s a high probability he’s Finals MVP. If Luka called it quits after this season and does nothing the rest of his career, does he still make the Hall? If it makes a difference for you, you can pretend he either wins or loses the finals to the Celtics.
I was originally going to phrase this question as “How soon is soon enough to definitively say whether or not someone will make the Hall?” For example, Evan Mobley has been in the league four years and you can pretty safely say that while he might develop into a strong player, he’s very unlikely to make the Hall. Anthony Edwards has also been in the league four years and his Hall chances are still up in the air. But Luka has been in the league six years: is it soon enough to say he’s a Hall of Fame lock? After two more years of watching Anthony Edwards, will you feel safe saying whether or not he’ll make the Hall?

TL;DR:

The "woo-woo" is essential to understanding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). Many of us have an aversion to discussion of "the woo" because that's how we've been influenced to think.
Edit to add: I don’t think science is mistaken. I believe ‘woo’ is a placeholder term for aspects too mired in stigma for investigators to address. If we can honestly examine ‘the woo’ and accept the null hypothesis, then we will have furthered our understanding of the phenomena, even if by a negligible margin.

Claims:

I would posit that sufficiently advanced civilizations would have developed the capacity to 'unwind' the energy of their material bodies, creating low-entropy, intelligent-energy complexes that can exist outside of space-time. What we call Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UFOs, aliens, sprites, angels, demons, gods, fairies, djinn, etc.) are these intelligent-energy complexes interacting with humanity using a psycho-spiritual methodology of expanding consciousness in order to promote our capacity to induce the same states of low-entropy, intelligent-energy.
I would further posit that there is an ongoing disinformation campaign designed to stigmatize discussion on the Physics of Energy as it relates to UAP. I would encourage readers of this post to contact their elected officials and request they subpoena individual contractors and unelected officials, compel them to testify under oath as to their knowledge of;

• stigma/disinformation program(s);
• reverse-engineering, patent, and/or capitalization program(s) of found/retrieved craft;
• campaign(s) to prevent the US Government from exercising 'Eminent Domain' over found/retrieved craft, reverse-engineered technologies, patents, and/or capital;
• treaties with extra-national organizations –made without congressional oversight– to fund and perpetuate these activities to defraud and/or cause injury to Citizens of the United States.

Testimony:

J. Robert Oppenheimer: We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to enquire. We know that the wages of secrecy are corruption. We know that in secrecy error, undetected, will flourish and subvert.
US Representative Anna Paulina Luna: Does the Department of Energy currently work with Joint Special Operations Command? Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm: Yes we do.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. [...] Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
Max Planck: As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clearheaded science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about the atoms this much: There is no matter as such! All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particles of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter.
Werner Heisenberg: The universe is not composed of physical things, but of things that exist in a strange realm, beyond space and time. These things are not material, but immaterial; they are forms, structures, and patterns, or, to use a more technical term, they are information.
Erwin Schrödinger: The sensation of color cannot be accounted for by the physicist’s objective picture of light-waves. Could the physiologist account for it, if he had fuller knowledge than he has of the processes in the retina and the nervous processes set up by them in the optical nerve bundles and in the brain? I do not think so. We could at best attain an objective knowledge of what nerve fibers are excited and in what proportion, perhaps even to know exactly the processes they produce in certain brain cells—whenever your mind registers the sensation of yellow. But even such intimate knowledge would not tell us anything about the sensation of color.
Garry Nolan: When you start to look into UFOs, the ‘woo’ is just around the corner. [...] To be clear [...] the nuts and bolts "Hollywood alien" concept should be expected to be a far cry from whatever reality might have in store for us. In other words, presupposing the outcome (a variant of debunking) would be a mistake. You know what they say about the word "assume". 😇 I'll put Arthur C. Clarke's "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" up against the expected retort from others of "Extraordinary claims etc" any day of the millennia.
Diana Pasulka: It is rational to approach the topic like this: in the 1400s people were using religious frameworks to describe what they saw in the sky. Today, people do the same thing, but now we live in an ostensibly ‘secular’ society and have achieved flight, so when people see unidentified aerial phenomena, they think of drones or something like stealth aircraft, and maybe UFOs.
Jacques Vallee: It would be nice to hold on to the common belief that the UFOs are craft from a superior space-civilization […]. Unfortunately, however, the theory that flying saucers are material objects from outer space manned by a race originating on some other planet is not a complete answer. However strong the current belief in saucers from space, it cannot be stronger than the Celtic faith in the elves and the fairies, or the medieval belief in lutins, or the fear throughout the Christian lands, in the first centuries of our era, of demons and satyrs and fauns. Certainly, it cannot be stronger than the faith that inspired the writers of the Bible—a faith rooted in daily experiences with angelic visitation.
Karl Nell: I guess I would draw an analogy, though, for people that believe in a certain faith tradition, whatever that faith tradition is, and hold to that and subscribe to that in a very serious and devout way. And sort of pose the question, even for folks of that ilk –and I would count myself as one– if you're confronted with the reality of your religious belief system, like the reality of the metaphysical, an angel, a messenger from God, what have you, that's going to be a sea-state change in your way of dealing with reality, even though you already believe it. So it's one thing to believe, and it's another to know.
Lue Elizondo: Somber, meaning serious. Not, not like Hollywood portrays people partying in the streets and silliness like that. I think you would have some people perhaps turning to religion more so. You might have some people turning away from it. I think you’re gonna have … at that point, the philosophical and theological questions will be raised and people will have some serious soul-searching to do, no pun intended.

Perspective:

<–∞– Excerpt from Rumi's A Great Wagon –∞–>

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn’t make any sense.
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep.

So I had a go at Clash yesterday but realised that given the long term booking focus right now it struggles to make sense outside of the context of multiple PPVs as with the small number of matches right now and longer term booking, not everyone is going to be on every card.
Obviously this involves guessing the timing of returns. Specifically in this case I'm guessing Becky goes on hiatus after Class, there's no Seth return, and Rhea is held off returning until Liv is well established.
With no further ado:
~Clash at the Castle:~
WWE Tag Champ Match: A Town Down Under (C) v Pretty Deadly v Street Profits
They are due to defend on PLE. This gives British Presence and some credibility for PD just by being there, but some faces need to be in the match, and the Profits would make this enjoyable.
Becky Lynch and Unholy Union v DamageCTRL
Seems like if they are gong to do ANYTHING with the Scottish witches they need to put them on the PLE where they'd be over. Becky mentioned them recently and this would nix the unfortunate Becky=Lyra association by splitting them. DamageCTRL get one last (maybe their only) high profile win before splitting.
WWE Women's Title: Bayley (C) v Piper Niven
A self-evident match that's as good as confirmed already. I don't think it matters that Piper will be cheered as they'll still cheer for Bayley.
Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton segment
Getting both men appearing on the card for the star power even if it's tokenistic, but really makes no sense for Cody to have a match here. Storytelling for the inevitable SS match.
Solo Sikoa v LA Knight
Gives the Bloodline ongoing purpose on the card during what is inevitably a lull period for them and pivots them away from rKO.
Women's World Title: Liv Morgan (C) v Lyra Valkyria
Another self-evident match. Gives Liv a good first defence and Lyra is essentially still protected by her strong showing in QOTR, and losing here by Domterference.
World Heavyweight Championship: Damian Priest (C) v Drew McIntyre
There would be odder things than Priest retaining here, but this seems like the most obvious outcome.
-----------------------------------------------
~Money in the Bank (Wyatt Takeover PLE):~
Womens' Tag Titles: Jade and Bianca (c) v Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
The effective Wyatt iteration of MITB starts with the Wyatt ladies challenging the Superteam as the first credible challengers they have. The Superteam still wins....
Judgement Day (Damian Priest, Balor and JDMcDonagh) v Wyatts (Bo Dallas, Dexter Lumis, Erik Rowan)
....But the Wyatts get their credibility back with a win over the fragmenting Judgement Day. Cementing the ending of this version of JD and giving the Wyatt's a dominant win.
World Tag Titles: Awesome Truth (c) v Creed Brothers w Chad Gable
Awesome Truth end their run and I think everyone agrees this one is a matter of when not if. Might happen before this, but this would give it a good profile to launch the new Alpha Academy/Team Gable.
Men's MITB Ladder Match: Ilja Dragunov v Ricochet v Chad Gable v Carmelo Hayes v Bron Breakker v Joe Gacy v Karrion Kross
The Wyatt's big PLE ends with a new phenomenon as we end up with a Freebirded Briefcase. The Wyatt 6 will threaten that ANY of them can use the briefcase.
WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) v Santos Escobar v AJ Styles
Santos is a good filler challenger for Cody but he sadly is just not credible enough on his own. I think this would be a really good way of adjusting for that by tying in AJ's desperations to wangle his way into one last run, and furthers their ongoing story with him and dynamics with Cody.
Women's MITB Match: Tiffany Stratton v Lyra Valkyria v IYO Sky v Kiana James v Blair Davenport v Shayna Baszler v Chelsea Green
Giving the women the main event here for Tiffany's crowning moment in a match full of new talent that also cements IYO as effectively a face fragmented from DamageCTRL.
-----------------------------------------------------
~Summerslam:~
Women's WWE Championship: Bayley (C) v Nia Jax
Bayley overcomes the odds not only defeating the dominant Nia (who will head towards her family after this defeat) but by not getting cashed in on, mostly because WWE love those sweet sweet pink briefcases selling like hotcakes and don't want them off the shelves yet.
IC Title Match: Sami Zayn (c) v Bron Breakker
By now it will be time to pull the trigger on Bron with a surprisingly squash-like match of Sami. Cena/Lesnar like in its dominance.
Iyo Sky v Asuka
The last chance to do this match on a high-profile stage and it would be a shame not to have it. Rhea isn't back yet and so this also serves not only as a blowoff to the DamageCTRL storyline and the crowning of IYO as major babyface, but also a number 1 contender match.
Streetfight: Damian Priest v Finn Balor (Demon)
The Demon makes a winning return as the Judgement Day feud is blown off at least in part. Priest will eventually come back with his own Demonic character, but for now The Celtic Demon wins this round.
World Heavyweight Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) v Gunther
Drew gets a slightly longer reign this time but it still underwhelms as he is taken down by a combination of the Ring General and an appearance from his nemesis CM Punk who costs him the title for the second time.
Women's Tag Titles: Charlotte & Tiffany Stratton v Bianca & Jade (c)
With Charlotte's return and alliance-following-staredown with Tiffany, the audience is finally convinced that the Superteam might actually lose the championships. They don't.
US Championship: Logan Paul (c) v LA Knight
Logan Paul's hometown heralds that it's time. LA Knight needs crowning by now for credibility and this keeps the title prominent and in a major spot on the card.
WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) v Randy Orton
A self-evident match. Won't ramble here, the whole storyline should be great but Cody retains.
-----------------------------------------------------------
~Bash In Berlin:~
WWE Women's Title: Blair Davenport v Bayley (C)
A nice spot for Blair and a good defence option for Bayley in what would be a very solid match.
CM Punk & Drew McIntyre Segment
Probably a Miz TV kind of deal, with CM Punk solidifying his return and them making their match.
US Title: Carmelo Hayes v LA Knight (c)
A needed early title defence to solidify the reign.
World Tag Titles: Creeds (c) v Wyatts (Erick Rowan & Dexter Lumis)
Gable comedy shenanigans agogo as he can't cope with the Spooksome 6.
WWE Title: Cody Rhodes (c) v Kevin Owens
Having dispatched RKO and with few heel options, Cody continues his tour of the Smackdown upper card having great matches. Major Bloodline Interference and a horrific beatdown of both men after the match to kickoff the increase in Bloodline activity in the next phrase of the year.
Women's World Title: Liv Morgan (c) v IYO SKY
The big return. IYO and Liv have their match. It goes long and IYO has the upper hand when music plays and Rhea turns up with the style of Taker at Judgement Day 2000 and the fury of a woman scorned. Lays waste for a rare PLE no contest. Sets up not just Liv v Rhea but keeps IYO as a third wheel in the process so the dynamics can stay fresh for a few months.
World Heavyweight Championship: Gunther (c)v Ilya Dragunov
Simplest answer and best match available. Gunther is validated and crowned and will now go into a triangulated situation with Punk and McIntyre, benefitting from those two men obsessing with each other at the expense of focusing on him, which naturally disgusts him.

EDIT: CLOSED! Thank you for the interest! If you’re still interested in a reading, check out the pinned post on my profile; I work at my own pace, but respond to inquiries eventually!
Good morning/afternoon/night, friends! I’d like to spend some time this morning practicing with the cards, and hopefully offering a little help and guidance as well. A Celtic Cross is a traditional 10-card spread meant to shed light on a specific situation or topic.
Please have a specific inquiry in mind! If stuck, try phrasing your question to start with “how”, “why”, or “what” if possible. (For example: “How can I attract romantic and sensual energy into my life?” or “What can I do to overcome feelings of insecurity?”)
No yes/no answers, please.
Please remember tarot can’t give you a solid, concrete prediction of the future. I can pass on messages from the cards that can guide you toward your goals, but I can’t tell you when you’ll get pregnant or land that promotion.
If you’re interested, comment on this post, and I’ll DM the first two who show interest.

The Celtics may not fit the modern criteria for a superteam, which usually involves a bunch of ball-dominant superstars trying (and often failing) to mesh around a patchwork supporting cast. Instead, they’ve spent years accumulating a bunch of A-/B+ lower-wattage stars around their one All-NBA titan, Jayson Tatum. The offseason additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday gave the Celtics the most talented roster in the league.
However, having five former or current All-Stars on the team at once still demands enormous sacrifice from almost everyone involved. Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday have all seen scoring average drops of at least three points per game, a big number to stomach for players in or near their prime. Al Horford’s scoring dropped, too, although he was already scoring fewer than ten points per game as he nears the end of his illustrious career.
These are five proud players who sacrificed significant personal stats to team up and power toward a championship, and the results have spoken for themselves. The Celtics obliterated the league this season, finishing as many games ahead of second-seed New York (14) as New York did tenth-seed Atlanta in the East.
But one starter has pulled a Klay Thompson: he hasn’t sacrificed sh*t.
[Hello, everyone! As always, I've collected a bunch of illustrative videos for this post. They can be found here or linked throughout the article. Thanks for reading!]
Despite the new presences of Holiday and Porzingis and all the star power around him, Derrick White increased his scoring average in Boston to 15.2 points per game, nearly three more than last season. True, Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart exited the team, but it would have been easy — natural, even — for those shots and points to go to Holiday, Tatum, or Brown. Instead, White has been the big beneficiary: [graph of point changes here]
It’s a massive credit to the team’s players and culture that so many are willing to take a step back so that White can take a step forward. It’s also a credit to White himself. After years of being a system player, someone who shot when he was open and didn’t if he wasn’t, White has found some swashbuckling selfishness. He knows he’s a damn good shooter, and he’s finally willing to act the part.
The transformation has been an ongoing process. White was brought into Boston halfway through the 2021-22 season from San Antonio at a steep price for a role player: Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, Boston’s 2022 first-round pick (which turned into Blake Wesley), and a 2028 first-round pick swap. White had a reputation as an excellent defender (particularly as a shotblocker) and passer, and he’d shown encouraging flashes of being able to shoot the three. San Antonio coaches raved about his work ethic. Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens also appreciated that White was on a reasonable contract for three more years; cost control was an important consideration with massive extensions for the Jays around the corner.
Initial returns were uneven. White proved to be an even better defender than anticipated, but the three-pointer never fell — and often never even went up. He averaged just 4.6 three-pointers per 36 minutes, a below-average volume for the position, and struggled with his accuracy and confidence. Despite his defensive excellence, his playing time bounced around like a toddler on a trampoline as defenses increasingly ignored him on the perimeter. His season culminated in nightmarish one- and two-point efforts in Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals — the exact time the Celtics needed him most.
White went into the 2022 offseason knowing he had to get better from deep to make the impact Boston needed. He returned with a higher-arcing jumper that paid immediate dividends. Despite the offseason addition of fellow combo guard Malcolm Brogdon, White earned the starting role and promptly shot 38% from deep, up from 31% the year before despite a higher volume of shots.
The playoffs were an improvement, including an incredible game-winning tip-in during Game 6 against Miami. (That shot would’ve been immortalized in NBA mythology had the Celtics successfully won Game 7 and completed a historic comeback from down 3-0.) But there were still moments where coach Joe Mazzulla went with the offensively-oriented Malcolm Brogdon over White for long stretches.
That’s no longer the case. Brogdon is gone, and starting point guard Marcus Smart was swapped for Jrue Holiday. Secure in his playing time, White entered the season with a freshly shaved head and a targeting laser where his left eye used to be — if you look closely, you can see it flashing red before he splashes yet another jumper.
White has cracked 30 minutes of playing time in every Celtics playoff game except for their Game 5 demolition of Miami, in which the starters got much of the night off. Not only that, but he’s had long stretches (particularly in Round 1) where he’s been Boston’s best player. For the playoffs, he’s averaging more than 18 points per game on outstanding 64.1% true shooting (which accounts for three-pointers and free throws); for comparison, Rudy Gobert, a dunk first, second, and third center, sports a 64.8% true shooting mark.
White is doing most of his damage beyond the arc, where he’s hitting 43.6% of his 8.4 three-point attempts per game, both of which lead the Celtics. Of the remaining four playoff teams, nobody is lacing more threes per game than White.
Just look at some of the attempts this man has put up in these playoffs. The old Derrick White would never have even looked at the rim here: [video here]
This one, a missed heat check against isolation jailor Bam Adebayo, would’ve made the aforementioned Thompson blush at the sheer audacity: [video here]
Encouragingly, White has sustained this level of aggression even after some poor shooting performances, games that would have wrecked his confidence in the past. A 2-for-7 performance from deep in Game 3 against Miami preceded an astonishing 8-for-15 carpet bombing in Game 4; a 1-for-8 game against Cleveland was followed by a 3-for-8 showing in the next. He isn’t letting misses get to him.
All this long-range firepower has opened up easy sashays to the rim, too, where White made a career-high 74% of his layups in the regular season and is nailing 75% in the playoffs. It hasn’t had a chance to show in the postseason yet, but White has developed particularly excellent chemistry with Porzingis. White loves using the threat of Porzingis’ shooting to turn Porzingis’ defender into an inadvertent screen-setter, particularly in semi-transition: [video here]
(It’s not a surprise that White’s FG% (48%→42%) and 3P% (42% → 35%) dropped precipitously in 21 regular-season games without KP, although his playoff percentages have rebounded beautifully.)
White’s shooting transformation has opened up not just his drives but his passing, too. Although White doesn’t have the assist numbers of a full-time point guard, his 5.3 assist:turnover ratio is the best of any remaining playoff player by far. His passes aren’t as flashy as Holiday’s, and he doesn’t garner as many assists as Tatum, but White is, in my opinion, the best passer on the team. As his scoring prowess grows, White has gotten better at leveraging defensive attention to open up teammates: [video here]
We must spare a few words for his impeccable defense, as well. White is the Celtics’ best off-ball defender, a skill the league increasingly values. Guarding a lesser threat allows White the freedom to play free safety, where his reputation as the league’s best shotblocking guard is well-earned.
White’s blocks aren’t cute little Fred VanVleet-style swipe-downs as a shooter gathers the ball. White pops up from out of nowhere like he’s wearing a Scream mask, smacking shots with startling violence. This thing should be R-rated: [video here]
He’s hardly an on-ball slouch, either. White is one of the best screen navigators in the league. You’ve likely heard the phrase “getting skinny” around a pick; this is the textbook definition, as White slithers past Bam Adebayo like a cat burglar slinking along a fourth-story window ledge with his back to the wall. The textbook definition doesn’t usually include a preposterous squid-armed block, though. That’s a White specialty: [video here]
White has now made the All-Defensive Second Team two years in a row, and he might have made First Team this year without the switch to positionless voting, which favored big men.
The Celtics are still the Jays’ team, obviously. For all of White’s talents, he’s certainly benefited from playing next to higher-volume scorers. But it might be fair to say that White has outperformed his role on the team to a greater degree than anyone else. White has driven much of Boston’s success all year, and he’s only gotten better in the playoffs. If Boston does end up hoisting trophy # 18 at year’s end, it’ll be in large part because Derrick White has shone as bright as any of the stars around him.

[Hi, all! I originally wrote this as a post for the general audience at nba, so please forgive some of the "no-duh" stuff for Celtics fans. Hope you enjoy!]
The Celtics may not fit the modern criteria for a superteam, which usually involves a bunch of ball-dominant superstars trying (and often failing) to mesh around a patchwork supporting cast. Instead, they’ve spent years accumulating a bunch of A-/B+ lower-wattage stars around their one All-NBA titan, Jayson Tatum. The offseason additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday gave the Celtics the most talented roster in the league.
However, having five former or current All-Stars on the team at once still demands enormous sacrifice from almost everyone involved. Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday have all seen scoring average drops of at least three points per game, a big number to stomach for players in or near their prime. Al Horford’s scoring dropped, too, although he was already scoring fewer than ten points per game as he nears the end of his illustrious career.
These are five proud players who sacrificed significant personal stats to team up and power toward a championship, and the results have spoken for themselves. The Celtics obliterated the league this season, finishing as many games ahead of second-seed New York (14) as New York did tenth-seed Atlanta in the East.
But one starter has pulled a Klay Thompson: he hasn’t sacrificed sh*t.
[Hello, everyone! As always, I've collected a bunch of illustrative videos for this post. They can be found here or linked throughout the article. Thanks for reading!]
Despite the new presences of Holiday and Porzingis and all the star power around him, Derrick White increased his scoring average in Boston to 15.2 points per game, nearly three more than last season. True, Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart exited the team, but it would have been easy — natural, even — for those shots and points to go to Holiday, Tatum, or Brown. Instead, White has been the big beneficiary: [graph of point changes here]
It’s a massive credit to the team’s players and culture that so many are willing to take a step back so that White can take a step forward. It’s also a credit to White himself. After years of being a system player, someone who shot when he was open and didn’t if he wasn’t, White has found some swashbuckling selfishness. He knows he’s a damn good shooter, and he’s finally willing to act the part.
The transformation has been an ongoing process. White was brought into Boston halfway through the 2021-22 season from San Antonio at a steep price for a role player: Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, Boston’s 2022 first-round pick (which turned into Blake Wesley), and a 2028 first-round pick swap. White had a reputation as an excellent defender (particularly as a shotblocker) and passer, and he’d shown encouraging flashes of being able to shoot the three. San Antonio coaches raved about his work ethic. Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens also appreciated that White was on a reasonable contract for three more years; cost control was an important consideration with massive extensions for the Jays around the corner.
Initial returns were uneven. White proved to be an even better defender than anticipated, but the three-pointer never fell — and often never even went up. He averaged just 4.6 three-pointers per 36 minutes, a below-average volume for the position, and struggled with his accuracy and confidence. Despite his defensive excellence, his playing time bounced around like a toddler on a trampoline as defenses increasingly ignored him on the perimeter. His season culminated in nightmarish one- and two-point efforts in Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals — the exact time the Celtics needed him most.
White went into the 2022 offseason knowing he had to get better from deep to make the impact Boston needed. He returned with a higher-arcing jumper that paid immediate dividends. Despite the offseason addition of fellow combo guard Malcolm Brogdon, White earned the starting role and promptly shot 38% from deep, up from 31% the year before despite a higher volume of shots.
The playoffs were an improvement, including an incredible game-winning tip-in during Game 6 against Miami. (That shot would’ve been immortalized in NBA mythology had the Celtics successfully won Game 7 and completed a historic comeback from down 3-0.) But there were still moments where coach Joe Mazzulla went with the offensively-oriented Malcolm Brogdon over White for long stretches.
That’s no longer the case. Brogdon is gone, and starting point guard Marcus Smart was swapped for Jrue Holiday. Secure in his playing time, White entered the season with a freshly shaved head and a targeting laser where his left eye used to be — if you look closely, you can see it flashing red before he splashes yet another jumper.
White has cracked 30 minutes of playing time in every Celtics playoff game except for their Game 5 demolition of Miami, in which the starters got much of the night off. Not only that, but he’s had long stretches (particularly in Round 1) where he’s been Boston’s best player. For the playoffs, he’s averaging more than 18 points per game on outstanding 64.1% true shooting (which accounts for three-pointers and free throws); for comparison, Rudy Gobert, a dunk first, second, and third center, sports a 64.8% true shooting mark.
White is doing most of his damage beyond the arc, where he’s hitting 43.6% of his 8.4 three-point attempts per game, both of which lead the Celtics. Of the remaining four playoff teams, nobody is lacing more threes per game than White.
Just look at some of the attempts this man has put up in these playoffs. The old Derrick White would never have even looked at the rim here: [video here]
This one, a missed heat check against isolation jailor Bam Adebayo, would’ve made the aforementioned Thompson blush at the sheer audacity: [video here]
Encouragingly, White has sustained this level of aggression even after some poor shooting performances, games that would have wrecked his confidence in the past. A 2-for-7 performance from deep in Game 3 against Miami preceded an astonishing 8-for-15 carpet bombing in Game 4; a 1-for-8 game against Cleveland was followed by a 3-for-8 showing in the next. He isn’t letting misses get to him.
All this long-range firepower has opened up easy sashays to the rim, too, where White made a career-high 74% of his layups in the regular season and is nailing 75% in the playoffs. It hasn’t had a chance to show in the postseason yet, but White has developed particularly excellent chemistry with Porzingis. White loves using the threat of Porzingis’ shooting to turn Porzingis’ defender into an inadvertent screen-setter, particularly in semi-transition: [video here]
(It’s not a surprise that White’s FG% (48%→42%) and 3P% (42% → 35%) dropped precipitously in 21 regular-season games without KP, although his playoff percentages have rebounded beautifully.)
White’s shooting transformation has opened up not just his drives but his passing, too. Although White doesn’t have the assist numbers of a full-time point guard, his 5.3 assist:turnover ratio is the best of any remaining playoff player by far. His passes aren’t as flashy as Holiday’s, and he doesn’t garner as many assists as Tatum, but White is, in my opinion, the best passer on the team. As his scoring prowess grows, White has gotten better at leveraging defensive attention to open up teammates: [video here]
We must spare a few words for his impeccable defense, as well. White is the Celtics’ best off-ball defender, a skill the league increasingly values. Guarding a lesser threat allows White the freedom to play free safety, where his reputation as the league’s best shotblocking guard is well-earned.
White’s blocks aren’t cute little Fred VanVleet-style swipe-downs as a shooter gathers the ball. White pops up from out of nowhere like he’s wearing a Scream mask, smacking shots with startling violence. This thing should be R-rated: [video here]
He’s hardly an on-ball slouch, either. White is one of the best screen navigators in the league. You’ve likely heard the phrase “getting skinny” around a pick; this is the textbook definition, as White slithers past Bam Adebayo like a cat burglar slinking along a fourth-story window ledge with his back to the wall. The textbook definition doesn’t usually include a preposterous squid-armed block, though. That’s a White specialty: [video here]
White has now made the All-Defensive Second Team two years in a row, and he might have made First Team this year without the switch to positionless voting, which favored big men.
The Celtics are still the Jays’ team, obviously. For all of White’s talents, he’s certainly benefited from playing next to higher-volume scorers. But it might be fair to say that White has outperformed his role on the team to a greater degree than anyone else. White has driven much of Boston’s success all year, and he’s only gotten better in the playoffs. If Boston does end up hoisting trophy # 18 at year’s end, it’ll be in large part because Derrick White has shone as bright as any of the stars around him.

The Celtics may not fit the modern criteria for a superteam, which usually involves a bunch of ball-dominant superstars trying (and often failing) to mesh around a patchwork supporting cast. Instead, they’ve spent years accumulating a bunch of A-/B+ lower-wattage stars around their one All-NBA titan, Jayson Tatum. The offseason additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday gave the Celtics the most talented roster in the league.
However, having five former or current All-Stars on the team at once still demands enormous sacrifice from almost everyone involved. Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday have all seen scoring average drops of at least three points per game, a big number to stomach for players in or near their prime. Al Horford’s scoring dropped, too, although he was already scoring fewer than ten points per game as he nears the end of his illustrious career.
These are five proud players who sacrificed significant personal stats to team up and power toward a championship, and the results have spoken for themselves. The Celtics obliterated the league this season, finishing as many games ahead of second-seed New York (14) as New York did tenth-seed Atlanta in the East.
But one starter has pulled a Klay Thompson: he hasn’t sacrificed sh*t.
[Hello, everyone! As always, I've collected a bunch of illustrative videos for this post. They can be found here or linked throughout the article. Thanks for reading!]
Despite the new presences of Holiday and Porzingis and all the star power around him, Derrick White increased his scoring average in Boston to 15.2 points per game, nearly three more than last season. True, Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart exited the team, but it would have been easy — natural, even — for those shots and points to go to Holiday, Tatum, or Brown. Instead, White has been the big beneficiary: [graph of point changes here]
It’s a massive credit to the team’s players and culture that so many are willing to take a step back so that White can take a step forward. It’s also a credit to White himself. After years of being a system player, someone who shot when he was open and didn’t if he wasn’t, White has found some swashbuckling selfishness. He knows he’s a damn good shooter, and he’s finally willing to act the part.
The transformation has been an ongoing process. White was brought into Boston halfway through the 2021-22 season from San Antonio at a steep price for a role player: Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, Boston’s 2022 first-round pick (which turned into Blake Wesley), and a 2028 first-round pick swap. White had a reputation as an excellent defender (particularly as a shotblocker) and passer, and he’d shown encouraging flashes of being able to shoot the three. San Antonio coaches raved about his work ethic. Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens also appreciated that White was on a reasonable contract for three more years; cost control was an important consideration with massive extensions for the Jays around the corner.
Initial returns were uneven. White proved to be an even better defender than anticipated, but the three-pointer never fell — and often never even went up. He averaged just 4.6 three-pointers per 36 minutes, a below-average volume for the position, and struggled with his accuracy and confidence. Despite his defensive excellence, his playing time bounced around like a toddler on a trampoline as defenses increasingly ignored him on the perimeter. His season culminated in nightmarish one- and two-point efforts in Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals — the exact time the Celtics needed him most.
White went into the 2022 offseason knowing he had to get better from deep to make the impact Boston needed. He returned with a higher-arcing jumper that paid immediate dividends. Despite the offseason addition of fellow combo guard Malcolm Brogdon, White earned the starting role and promptly shot 38% from deep, up from 31% the year before despite a higher volume of shots.
The playoffs were an improvement, including an incredible game-winning tip-in during Game 6 against Miami. (That shot would’ve been immortalized in NBA mythology had the Celtics successfully won Game 7 and completed a historic comeback from down 3-0.) But there were still moments where coach Joe Mazzulla went with the offensively-oriented Malcolm Brogdon over White for long stretches.
That’s no longer the case. Brogdon is gone, and starting point guard Marcus Smart was swapped for Jrue Holiday. Secure in his playing time, White entered the season with a freshly shaved head and a targeting laser where his left eye used to be — if you look closely, you can see it flashing red before he splashes yet another jumper.
White has cracked 30 minutes of playing time in every Celtics playoff game except for their Game 5 demolition of Miami, in which the starters got much of the night off. Not only that, but he’s had long stretches (particularly in Round 1) where he’s been Boston’s best player. For the playoffs, he’s averaging more than 18 points per game on outstanding 64.1% true shooting (which accounts for three-pointers and free throws); for comparison, Rudy Gobert, a dunk first, second, and third center, sports a 64.8% true shooting mark.
White is doing most of his damage beyond the arc, where he’s hitting 43.6% of his 8.4 three-point attempts per game, both of which lead the Celtics. Of the remaining four playoff teams, nobody is lacing more threes per game than White.
Just look at some of the attempts this man has put up in these playoffs. The old Derrick White would never have even looked at the rim here: [video here]
This one, a missed heat check against isolation jailor Bam Adebayo, would’ve made the aforementioned Thompson blush at the sheer audacity: [video here]
Encouragingly, White has sustained this level of aggression even after some poor shooting performances, games that would have wrecked his confidence in the past. A 2-for-7 performance from deep in Game 3 against Miami preceded an astonishing 8-for-15 carpet bombing in Game 4; a 1-for-8 game against Cleveland was followed by a 3-for-8 showing in the next. He isn’t letting misses get to him.
All this long-range firepower has opened up easy sashays to the rim, too, where White made a career-high 74% of his layups in the regular season and is nailing 75% in the playoffs. It hasn’t had a chance to show in the postseason yet, but White has developed particularly excellent chemistry with Porzingis. White loves using the threat of Porzingis’ shooting to turn Porzingis’ defender into an inadvertent screen-setter, particularly in semi-transition: [video here]
(It’s not a surprise that White’s FG% (48%→42%) and 3P% (42% → 35%) dropped precipitously in 21 regular-season games without KP, although his playoff percentages have rebounded beautifully.)
White’s shooting transformation has opened up not just his drives but his passing, too. Although White doesn’t have the assist numbers of a full-time point guard, his 5.3 assist:turnover ratio is the best of any remaining playoff player by far. His passes aren’t as flashy as Holiday’s, and he doesn’t garner as many assists as Tatum, but White is, in my opinion, the best passer on the team. As his scoring prowess grows, White has gotten better at leveraging defensive attention to open up teammates: [video here]
We must spare a few words for his impeccable defense, as well. White is the Celtics’ best off-ball defender, a skill the league increasingly values. Guarding a lesser threat allows White the freedom to play free safety, where his reputation as the league’s best shotblocking guard is well-earned.
White’s blocks aren’t cute little Fred VanVleet-style swipe-downs as a shooter gathers the ball. White pops up from out of nowhere like he’s wearing a Scream mask, smacking shots with startling violence. This thing should be R-rated: [video here]
He’s hardly an on-ball slouch, either. White is one of the best screen navigators in the league. You’ve likely heard the phrase “getting skinny” around a pick; this is the textbook definition, as White slithers past Bam Adebayo like a cat burglar slinking along a fourth-story window ledge with his back to the wall. The textbook definition doesn’t usually include a preposterous squid-armed block, though. That’s a White specialty: [video here]
White has now made the All-Defensive Second Team two years in a row, and he might have made First Team this year without the switch to positionless voting, which favored big men.
The Celtics are still the Jays’ team, obviously. For all of White’s talents, he’s certainly benefited from playing next to higher-volume scorers. But it might be fair to say that White has outperformed his role on the team to a greater degree than anyone else. White has driven much of Boston’s success all year, and he’s only gotten better in the playoffs. If Boston does end up hoisting trophy # 18 at year’s end, it’ll be in large part because Derrick White has shone as bright as any of the stars around him.

I think it’s time we have the discussion about how Boston sports teams are building an army. For starters, the main focus around this Red Sox team is to build submarines. Submarines are great for battle as you can sink below and hide under water, while sneaking up on your enemies and using torpedos to catch them off guard.
A common phrase in basketball is to “take flight” or “get air.” Similar comparisons can be drawn to planes or spacecrafts. Planes have the ability to take control over the air for attacks on enemies. Dating back to the Cold War, whoever controls space, controls everything. It is quite possible that the Celtics are building their own aircraft to take control overhead while the Red Sox push from the sea.
In football, if a running back runs over a defender, one might say he “bulldozed” him. The biggest war machine known for that? The tank. With the ability to literally bulldoze through anything and superior canons on top to break through anything in its way, the tank is hard to stop. The patriots will be supplying the ground control with their tanks, while the Celtics patrol the air, and Red Sox control the water.
Who is Boston preparing an attack for?

Workin' Them Angels is the third tune on the eighteenth studio album Snakes & Arrows (2007). What do you think of today's track? You can vote skippable (You can almost see the circuits blowing) to amazing (The treasure of a life).
Writing credits: Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Lyrics: Neil Peart
Contemporaneous band member quote: "Another song where there's no solo is 'Workin' Them Angels,' and what happened was, I originally recorded a solo over this section of very Celtic-sounding mandolins. It was a cool solo, nothing wrong with it, but just before we mixed the album, I called Nick [Raskulinecz] and said I didn't think the solo was necessary, that it sounded better with just the mandolins. I was prepared for a big disagreement, but Nick was like, 'Dude! Absolutely. I was thinking the very same thing.'" -Alex to Joe Bosso of Guitar World Magazine (August 2007)
Rush Official YouTube Channel link
This track was released as a radio promo single in 2007. The title is based on a phrase a wife used on her husband to tell him that he was pushing his luck, which Neil overheard during his travels.
View Poll

So I don't believe that this is a formal Mandela Effect, just one that led to something that could be helpful.
Growing up I was taught in school that French, Italian and Spanish had a lot of very similar words because they were all romantic languages.
People will also refer to these of love languages. Or commonly question what makes them more romantic.
This is a misconception, I was taught that they were named Romantic languages because they were based on Latin, the language of Rome.
So I see someone the other day using the term Romance language and it threw me off. I decided to look it up and almost everything I came across from 2011 and newer was Romance language, and people correcting others for saying romantic.
Pre 2011 they seemed to be used interchangeably.
This didn't make sense to me, when it comes to naming conventions we typically have a pattern of what we call them. Older languages tend to end with the ic examples being Nordic, Aramaic, Celtic, Icelandic, Cyrillic, Slavic etc. Newer languages of European origin tend to end with ish examples being English, Swedish, Spanish, Polish. Newer non European languages end in ese examples being Chinese, Japanese, Cantonese, Vietnamese. Nowhere have I seen one that ends in ce like Romance. So logically it should be romantic.
After doing some further research and not finding anything conclusive as to why, I stumbled upon something called an egg-corn.
This is a term used to describe a variation of spelling based on a unique change of words that logically makes sense sometimes even more than the original. I'll let you check out examples of these if you want to.
I still feel like this is probably due to American English vs British English language differences that have been consolidated.
However it seems like it would apply to several other MEs where unless we are shown the exact words, our brains tend to create our own interpretations that make sense. Specifically the ones attributed to name changes and movie lines. It would also explain why there's so many people who share the same memory, why there's so many examples of alternate phrasing and spelling outside of the original source material.
What do you guys think?

https://preview.redd.it/qkxy3y9sm00d1.png?width=1248&format=png&auto=webp&s=be3f77e242e0532dd12fea9b45d502b95b3b8036
Ignis Purgatorius
What's up guys! Happy Mother's Day! It's your friendly Genshin overthinker Inotia King. As always before we begin I just want to make sure new readers have checked out my first topic which is the basis for all my theories. So if you haven't checked that out yet please click here.
And what better time than Mother's Day to talk about a Father?
The Arlecchino Character Quest seems to be a continuation of both things I didn't enjoy about the Fontaine story so far and also things related to earlier regions that fall in line with my poetry theory. Let's talk about that.
https://preview.redd.it/fyfoyiyfn00d1.png?width=494&format=png&auto=webp&s=0a4dbb76099f9526a78cf39be159d8d6b42728fa
Easy stuff first. In the story we meet Clervie and her mother Crucabena. I think the Genshin wiki already noted this but these names are actually Irish or Welsh mythological figures. But it's just a reference for now likely because the real story is weird. Clervie is actually fine but Crucabena had a son Mordfran who was ugly so she decided to have slaves create a wisdom potion for him so he could rely on his intelligence over his looks. For some reason though her potion was mostly poison and only the first three drops of it were the wisdom potion. As it happens boiling liquids can spill over and that means the people working on the brew can get burned by random splatters. If you've ever cooked soup before you know what I mean. Anyway Crucabena didn't realize this and so it happened and the person to be burned was Gwion. What's most people's first instinct when they get burned by a little hot soup? Put the wound up to your mouth. Gwion did just that, drank the drops that had burned him and became smart. Crucabena then got pissed and chased him around and somehow wisdom potion meant shapeshifting powers in this story so they did that a bunch and then finally she caught him. The end.
I bring that up not just to say that the story we got only used their names but also that maybe one day we will in fact get a Mordfran or even a Gwion. Genshin tends not to use cultural references superficially and I mean all we know is that Arlecchino killed Clervie and then Crucabena. It's entirely possible to come up with a follow-up where Crucabena actually trained a previous "king" or maybe she actually did have a son and she showed favoritism to him thus sparing him from the House while bringing Clervie in. One day Mordfran could want to take revenge for his mother or maybe Pantalone and Pulcinella will use him to take revenge on Arlecchino since she said she'd deal with them if they took Project Stuzha too far. The sky's the limit on what they could do with this.
On the opposite end though is Arlecchino's own name. Peruere just means to consume by flame in Latin. So it's just a really simple reference to literally what Arlecchino's power is.
Side Note: There's another reference to Irish and Welsh mythology here. The location of the old House of the Hearth? It's on Mount Esus. Esus is the Celtic God of Power worshipped by Gaul and Brittania. Actually Esus has been likened to Ares or Mars. That's perfect for Arlecchino. It's also perfect for anything to do with the Fatui, the Tsaritsa and their eventual war against Celestia. There's also another Celtic god Teutates or the God of Tribes that has been related to Mercury. Both of these Roman gods are part of the Seven Classical Planets which I've theorized before as relating to Phanes and the shining shades.
https://preview.redd.it/w53u2rzvq00d1.png?width=1916&format=png&auto=webp&s=b66bd66bd554cdffdd9d8b49f57b71e2f6fcb8eb
Which brings me to Project Stuzha. Stuzha or стужа is just Russian for severe cold. This is a one to one translation from Chinese 严冬计划 yandongjihua or "Operation Severe Cold."
Side Note: Cтужа actually comes from the old Russian for just cold which is really funny because it's spelled like "stud" lol. Even funnier when you find out this word came from the Proto-slavic "studen" just one letter off from student. That's essentially what Arlecchino's kids are to her. Also the Fatui themselves indoctrinate. Pierro enlisted Signora through indoctrination. Best to get 'em young lol
Now what is this operation and what are the connotations? Well as it involves Regrator or Pantalone I already had him pegged for a major operation. Now would that be it? I don't know. I highly doubt the Tsaritsa would condone a plan like this considering her as yet unrevealed contract with Morax. However, the Fatui aren't necessarily loyal to her. We already know for sure that Arlecchino isn't. Same goes for Scaramouche. Also with Snezhnaya's own chapter waiting in the wings it would be a good way to raise tensions and send the region into the downward spiral that would work thematically with the Russian Revolution that it's inspired by.
The next thing about this is that Pulcinella is involved and it's already shown that Arlecchino works under him despite being Fourth. In my old Fontaine predictions, that was a driving force for what I came up with. Back then Arlecchino was Tenth and Pulcinella was Fifth so I proposed that despite her promotion to Fourth that it was just for show to ingratiate her to him. That said the story showed that she is already antagonistic towards him and has shown herself to be far more intuitive to be manipulated by him.
Next there's this:
https://preview.redd.it/z05byhpwr00d1.png?width=1912&format=png&auto=webp&s=38a517a57e5a268202e6882ffe0940d622262d65
Yeah hate to break it to you Lyney but they did already work together. Back in Sumeru, Arlecchino had a few House members stationed to help Dottore's Aranara scheme that didn't end up panning out. He didn't care about them at all of course but that doesn't discount Arlecchino of having directly supported his operation. And we know they weren't directly under Dottore because the only one that was was Oleg and he was trying to claim all the glory for himself, even going so far as to insult his fellow House member Trofin.
Speaking of which there's a really frightening implication this quest brought up isn't there? They still mentioned that Arlecchino and Dottore definitely worked together on another project. Who helped Arlecchino get her flames into a potion? That means there's not a chance in hell Dottore didn't hoard bottles of the stuff himself. I think it's a sure bet he's got those "searing pain" memory wipe potions and he'll definitely use them in the future. I wouldn't be surprised if some horribly maimed person shows up in the future and can't remember what happened to them and as we investigate it becomes clear who was responsible. Also there might be a far future event/quest where Dottore tries to use the potion on the Traveler and that'll expand on their Descender attributes as their memories can't be wiped away even with crazy Abyss-powered Archon Residue human experiment by-products. (I'll explain later.)
Three possible stories to spawn from this quest. That's the quality of miHoYo storytelling I'm more used to. We need more of this and definitely burn that Archon Quest in a fire, a memory-erasing Cinder of Two Worlds fire.
https://preview.redd.it/eg5m1bsks00d1.png?width=494&format=png&auto=webp&s=c1d3bd94d7ac733bdc67617856c969514eaa9c7e
https://preview.redd.it/uaoryqijs00d1.png?width=1056&format=png&auto=webp&s=2036c29bc8554ed043cee57d0c7a2acfea865fc4
The wiki is at it again now making the statement that Arlecchino's not Fontainian but actually Khaenri'ahn! Now of course we do know she isn't Fontainian but it's a stretch to state that she's suddenly Khaenri'ahn. The only reason and one which isn't even cited is that Arlecchino is afflicted with something that makes her dream of a crimson moon. As we knew from as far back as Dainsleif's reveal teaser from the end of the CBT era, Khaenri'ah was related to a crimson moon and a black sun where the moon would take revenge on the sun. (Black Sun was localized as Eclipse Dynasty but the new information revealed that to be another poor translation. New references keep referring to a black colored sun and not an eclipsed one.) Anyway it wasn't quite clear back then but thanks to the release of Perinheri we know the reason for the specific wording in the Dainsleif teaser. Essentially the Black Sun Dynasty usurped the Crimson Moon Dynasty so supposedly it will take its revenge one day. Now here's the part where Arlecchino doesn't have to be Khaenri'ahn just to have this curse. A "crimson moon" is the moon that was hanging over Khaenri'ah during the Cataclysm. This was when Rhinedottir created an army of Abyssal creatures on the order of the Sinner possibly in an attempt at freeing it. (It was also in service of the nigredo step of her attempt at the Magnum Opus.) All those signs point to the Abyss not Khaenri'ah. Khaenri'ah was just the dupe. So what is this moon really? Well according to Perinheri and one of Arlecchino's Voice-Overs it's actually some kind of creature but it could also be one of the moon sisters. Either way it's related again to the Abyss. It's the "Abyssal Moon" if you'd like.
Long story short, Arlecchino's Balemoon Bloodfire is likely just some other manifestation of the Abyss and has nothing to do with Khaenri'ah. The other much more obvious sign that she's not Khaenri'ahn is her eyes. Not sure how the wiki missed that but she's got unique X-eyes not the primogem eyes of every single Khaenri'ahn, pure blood or not. No primogem eyes, no Khaenri'ah. (But in terms of the Dainsleif prophecy X-eyes works well. Look at Arlecchino's drops. There's one where a red X is placed over a gray primogem shape. "The eclipse is swallowed by the crimson moon." This drop is also called "Denial and Judgment." There are several implications to draw from that.)
Side Note: Yes I realize Arlecchino has a Voice-Over where Pierro literally tells her she's of the "Crimson Moon bloodline" that he had thought should be extinct. Guess what guys? Bringing out my old friend, localization issues. Now this one I can't fault the localization team for. The term used was 血脉 and on the surface it does translate well to bloodlines. But there's a culture issue. When we think of bloodlines we just think of old timey genetics, that the blood flowing through your veins is that of your father's. There is some of that in China too but not in the same way. (except in say Hong Kong) Instead when 血脉 is used in a deeper sense, like say poetry or classical literature I'd say a better translation would be legacy. There are phrases like "our community is our bloodline" or "bloodlines flow like rivers, carrying with it all our memories and dreams." I think Pierro was also referring to it in this sense, given he advised Arlecchino to read Perinheri which is part of the legacy of the Crimson Moon era of Khaenri'ah including that they adopted non-Khaenri'ahns.
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Going back to her affliction though, it's curious right? This isn't the first time we've seen a fire that would burn its user if they lost control of it and fire taking the place of blood. Signora also had this problem. This exact problem. And as I had pointed out a long time ago, so did Collei. Isn't it also curious that the Character Quest brought up the Doctor and making deals with the orphanage? What was Collei again? Orphan. Why did she have that black fire ability again? Dottore experiments. So in the story who helped Arlecchino bottle up her Bloodfire? Dottore. And finally, though it might just be aesthetic if you look at Signora's pose in her Ember Witch form and then Arlecchino's Cinder form they are both facing the same way, same red motif, they have wings, open chest outfit and fire-related names ember and cinder.
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I have a sneaking suspicion this is miHoYo trying to beat us over the head that Arlecchino, Signora and Collei were all in the same boat. They are orphans that were tossed out by their families and experimented on by Dottore while he was still on his Delusion Project kick. Collei was probably his last "class" of experiments because her case got the attention of both Mondstadt and Sumeru and the Fatui couldn't be having that. The manhua itself showed the diplomatic repercussions Snezhnaya paid for Collei. But before that was Arlecchino and before her was Signora. (we can see Signora's already an adult by the time Perrie killed Crucabena) But wait, didn't Collei get her fire powers from the Archon Residue in Crystal Marrow? Well I have this theory right? Now if we take that theory and add it to this theory then the Abyss connection becomes clear. All you'd need is to use Archon Residue specific to those fallen during the Nibelung conflict and they'd be afflicted with the Abyss too.
Side Note 1: There's a little interesting note too between Arlecchino and Signora. I brought this up when I was theorizing about Arlecchino back in her first mention in The Very Special Fortune Slip World Quest. Signora is not a normal character in the commedia dell'arte. She was developed by combining the physicality of Capitano with the sex appeal of Columbina. (This is why I didn't predict that we'd get a Columbina Harbinger too and instead thought the final one would be Brighella. Scara is also a form of Capitano.) Anyway Arlecchino is supposed to be smitten with Columbina and who was the only Harbinger to feel bad for Signora's death? That's now expanded to be due to Arlecchino's sympathy for orphans but even so their many parallels are interesting. (this is furthered along by Arlecchino's Voice-Over that Signora was one of the first Harbingers she got to know, the other of course being Pierro and though superficial Signora appealed to the orphans at the House and Arlecchino sympathized with her)
Side Note 2: Another interesting connection between those two is that while they both have Delusions their true powers come from their experimental ones. Signora needed her Delusion to dampen her Pyro abilities and Arlecchino cherishes her Pyro Vision over her Delusion and is shown to be making use out of her Bloodfire curse instead of anything to do with her Delusion.
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Ok now for nitpicks!
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In my predictions (and then subsequently my Archon Quest revision) I had Pulcinella manipulate Arlecchino's hatred of the aristocracy and fear of the prophecy harming her home. So on the one hand I am really impressed. I honestly thought she was a Fontainian and the way they portrayed her desire to resolve the prophecy made it feel genuine (which it still technically was just not in relation to her herself) so I appreciate that level of subterfuge. Thinking this whole time that she was a Fontainian only for her to pull the wool over our eyes now after the whole story already ended would have been perfect for her character.
But just like so many other cool things miHoYo had with the Fontaine story they didn't have all their bases covered. It was great when we found out Fontaine had zero human people and everybody was actually an Oceanid. But then you run into the problem of how did people have normal human illnesses then? And how did they keep having those illnesses even after Neuvillette changed them from Oceanids to real humans. In the same way Arlecchino's lie wouldn't have worked in the context of Fontaine's story. Neuvillette's been in Fontaine for four hundred years. That's far longer than Arlecchino's been alive. If she wasn't a Fontainian and claimed to be one why wouldn't a dragon realize this? Yes we had the dialogue from him that he can't read Arlecchino's emotions. (also weird since he claimed to be attuned to emotions for some reason when even by Act II he didn't know Callas and Vacher's motivations which were brought on by the most primal of human emotions lol) But regardless of whether or not he can read her emotions there is not a single chance that he wouldn't have detected that she's not an Oceanid. He's told us he has full control over water including that of the Primordial Sea so when he was able to turn all Fontainians into real humans in one fell swoop he would have noticed she wasn't among those he changed. (That is also why I took serious issue with making Neuvillette a full dragon with full control over even the Primordial Sea. Either he purposely made the Fontainians with defects, kept their illnesses from back when they were elementals, purposely didn't inform us that Arlecchino was lying or he's just an incompetent dragon.)
Great idea. Not the best delivery. But in this case I call it a nitpick since most of this story was far and away better than the Fontaine Archon Quest.
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This is another little nitpick. I get what they were going for. They wanted a way to show that Arlecchino wasn't murdering her children. But holy coincidences Batman how many things had to play out just right for that to happen? I mean we had to have seen the Horrer mugshot meaning Lyney just had to happen to give us the stack of people with him in it. Otherwise if anybody else had that stack they would have just flipped through it without paying attention. Also in regards to paying attention, Paimon needed to take interest in that scar. Otherwise if she for example took interest in Lapouyade's name then say bye bye to that reveal. Out of all the times we've gone to the Palais Mermonia why today of all days at this time did we encounter Horrer? And also why was he a klutz? Also why was he a klutz and just happened to run straight into us out of all the other people there at the time? So many stars had to align just right to give us this clue about Arlecchino's endgame.
So like I tend to do, there was a way for miHoYo to have this reveal without needing this much Deus Ex Machina. Just have an insider working behind the scenes. We see by the end that Arlecchino was fine revealing her flame memory wipe potion thing. Given how there was an Execution List it should mean somebody was present for it. You could even just make Freminet that insider given what we see of him in the late stages of the quest. Let's say Arlecchino was trying to convey these secrets to both the Traveler and to Lyney, Lyney as more training to set him up as her replacement. Freminet would be more than willing to help with that so everything we see of him could still play out exactly the same (except that Lyney would eat his smug words about Freminet being bad at lying) and then it would be revealed that Freminet had coaxed Horrer to deliver papers around the Palais Mermonia at the right time and staged his and the Traveler's collision course. Boom, not only do you get the same reveal but Freminet gets some juicy character development on top!
Also, "O the Horrer!" Come on you know you were all thinking it when you saw that.
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Final nitpick. In this quest we're told that Arlecchino views losing memories as being no different than death. That's great. That really fits with how Genshin works as I've brought up many times already. But in the context of this story that's definitely not how it's played out. While Arlecchino states that she values memories as the same as a life what she actually uses it for is to save the lives of her disobedient children. We're shown this as her mercy and that she's allowing these kids to go off on their merry way and lead new lives. So problem. Yes it's nice that she's doing this. I'm sure all of us have seen this trope in fiction before. "I just cut off your ponytail. That ponytail represents the version of you that killed my family. Now that person is dead" that kind of nonsense to prop up a protagonist. But in the context of Genshin what she said is much more true. Memories include our experiences and under Gnosticism those experiences allow for the possibility of attaining gnosis one day. Removing those memories is actually like damning a person to death because it removes their progress. I brought up the hylic classification of people under Gnosticism before. These people are wholly physical and can't conceptualize anything meaning they can't ever attain gnosis. In Genshin those are the hilichurls, cursed to be "hill people" and unable to even return to the natural cycle of rebirth. Think about it from the opposite end too. Allogenes in this game represent the pneumatic people or those closest to attaining gnosis. In Inazuma we saw that once a Vision is stripped from these allogenes they lose their memories of what gave them that Vision, what gave them their chance at gnosis. So yeah, what this is is the same as my first nitpick with this story. It sounds nice on paper in any typical fiction but in Genshin it really is a horrible thing.
But on the flip side what this does is ruin Arlecchino's intimidating stature. The thing is she's a pushover. If you read her Character Stories there's one about how some of her kids grow up and want normal adolescent things like jewelry. Sometimes they screw up and get caught because their jewelry gets in the way. The story goes on to make it sound like Arlecchino would punish the kid but it turns out she just went out of her way to further train them to be careful of their jewelry on future missions. When you have stuff like that and what we saw in the story, it makes you wonder why anybody in the House would be afraid of her. Sure the youngest who had never seen her use her memory wipe potion thing might be under the impression she kills them but then what about the jewelry thing? It just wouldn't make sense for anybody to fear her to the extent we saw unless she had done something severe but then that might tarnish this protagonist image of her that miHoYo's fostered with the Archon Quest and this Character Quest not to mention her backstory anime. In this case I don't even think I could come up with a way for them to have their cake and eat it too. If she's meant to be fearsome then she needs to do fearsome things and if she doesn't then it doesn't make sense her kids would fear her as if she does.
Side Note: I suppose I should bring up my version then. Well she's much more antagonistic. While she lied when she said she only used Lyney and the children as tools she'd still be harsh on them and punish accordingly which produces their fear. Again my version of her is flawed; she honestly wants what's best for her kids but her methods are unusually cruel. This is based on her own experiences. It's like Batman (I keep going back to that example) and Robin. While any psychologist could tell you training up a ten year old to fight crime is a bad idea, Bruce Wayne saved his sanity by doing it so he believes it's a good way to nurture traumatized kids like himself. And we have Jason Todd when it comes to him. Therefore my Arlecchino would have had her own Jason Todds as well.
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So the last thing is taking Pierro's advice. I mean I referenced it already. Let's see what details Pierro was talking about with Perinheri.
The version of the name he went with is a reference to a real world story which is pretty much the whole thing of Vol.2. And remember how I've been talking about facts vs fiction? At the end of Vol.2 we find out that a writer came up with this ending and not the archaeologist on hand. So yes, the Angelica stuff is probably the part Pierro said was specious. The details come in Vol.1 where we get our titular characters.
Hleobrant is comprised of Proto-Germanic words hleo and brant which mean shelter and towering so Hleobrant could symbolize a defensive tower. So while accurate maybe Pierro was trying to say they were allegorically accurate. Remember why the gods got angry at humanity? They were questioning them and had started building a tower to reach the heavens just to see if it was there. That is one to one with our real world's Tower of Babel. This was when our real world's "unified human civilization" was broken apart into scattered nations. Hleobrant could be an allegory for the degenerate humans who defied the gods. And his rival would then be on the side of the gods, Perinheri. (not necessarily the Celestia gods or even the Archons but possibly the higher power of Ananke, the Imaginary Tree) I couldn't find the meaning of Perinheri though. I tried looking into the original Chinese and as far as I can tell the name might reference a Ming Dynasty official named 裴纶. Perinheri uses 裴伦 for the Perin part and 伦 is a homophone for 纶. 裴纶 was dissatisfied with the government and we might be able to relate that to the "world order" of the time. As such he wrote the "Seven Principles." That one caught my eye. Then the heri part of the name is 埃里 which on its own would actually be the Chinese transcription of the Hebrew name Eli which means ascended. Just like the issue of Vol.2 possibly being fictional, the names being inaccurate was also noted at the end of Vol.2. It could be that Perinheri is an intentional mistranslation in English to throw us off. (but let me know if you guys found anything about what Perinheri could be instead) If this is the real reference then for Khaenri'ah to be dissatisfied with the current world order it makes sense for "Perinheri" to just be a placeholder name for a Descender, an "ascended" child to defy Celestia. (I think there are already theories suggesting Perinheri is a stand-in for our sibling, a "false Descender.")
The revelation about a Crimson Moon Dynasty preceding the known Black Sun Dynasty could also imply something new about the Cataclysm. We're told that the Rifthounds, Rhinedottir's Rifthounds that up until this point were said to be accidental creations by her, were actually around since the Crimson Moon Dynasty and then fell out of favor by the time of the Black Sun Dynasty which preferred technology, tech like the "Field Tillers" Dainsleif told us about. King Irmin was the last king of that dynasty which means that Rhinedottir's group might have been a cult loyal to the previous regime. Rhinedottir herself could be even older than we were told previously or she could just be an avid follower of the old order. Thus the "crimson moon" that's supposed to swallow the black sun could just be the Abyss Order. This would also mean Dainsleif is even more justified for his disdain of the gods because his Khaenri'ahns had been trying to repel the cult yet were still cursed alongside them by Celestia.
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In Summary:

• Crucabena and Clervie could be a launching point for miHoYo to create a Mordfran or Gwion enemy to Arlecchino.
• Project Stuzha could be a way to raise the stakes as we get closer to the Snezhnaya Chapter. The Fatui might be running the Pantalone operation in Liyue.
• Arlecchino and Dottore previously worked together in Sumeru. They are confirmed to have worked together to create Arlecchino's memory erasure potion which likely means Dottore has some as well. This opens up another path of stories for Dottore.
• Arlecchino is not Khaenri'ahn. Even Black Sun Khaenri'ahns are almost extinct never mind some even older dynasty of yore.
• Arlecchino, Signora and Collei likely gained their powers from the same source: Dottore. They all play out in similar ways as well with Arlecchino having the additional effect of burning memories.
• It was interesting to have Arlecchino say she's not Fontainian but her reason for doing so before is undermined thanks to Neuvillette's presence. He would have known she was lying and given the stakes would have acted on it.
• Too many coincidences had to occur to reveal that Arlecchino hadn't executed anyone. All that needed to be changed was to have Freminet in on the operation and helping Arlecchino the whole time which would also develop his character.
• Arlecchino's non-lethal execution is played as a mercy but in the context of Genshin Arlecchino's stated opinion about it rather than her actual belief holds true. It really is an execution to destroy a person's memories. Those memories made them who they were on their path towards the gnosis.
• However in context of general fiction this actually makes the imposing Knave look more like a pushover. She hasn't actually committed to any strict punishment despite all her talk about enforcing the rules of the House.
• Perinheri could be an allegorical account of Khaenri'ah's tradition of waiting for and then following a Descender.
• Rhinedottir could have been a survivor of the Crimson Moon Dynasty of Khaenri'ah or just a follower of the old traditions and the Abyss Order would then be the dynasty's indirect legacy and thus the "crimson moon" from the Dainsleif prophecy.
• In this case it would mean Rhinedottir's forces were only a cult of extremists and the contemporary Khaenri'ahns would have all been opposed to them. Therefore it further justifies Dainsleif's anger at the gods for cursing all Khaenri'ahns indiscriminately.

1. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968) A [3 listens B/A-/A] not really a "Rock" album, but it's one of those albums that constantly caught my eye, plus 60s albums are getting hard to come by. His writing is otherworldly. Fully lived experiences and age with every character in these songs. I would hate to live in his mind, as it seems so damn complex and very overanalytical on every single human interaction. If Bob Dylan is a storyteller, he is a painter; the level of complexity in all of these characters and people are so detailed. Similar to Blood on the Tracks, a lot of the songs are about romance and past relationships, however unlike that album, it isn't as heartbroken and shows a lot of value towards those experiences; even if they're all difficult to move past. Great album and that is enhanced by close, focused deep dives into these lyrics.
2. Yes: i. The Yes Album (1971) A++ [6 listens A+/A++/A+/A+/A++/A++] Close to the Edge is still one of the most Epic-like songs in Rock history, so I was thinking it was going to be pretty hard to top that, and it turns out, they already did lol. CttE is a great song, but the rest of the album is merely ok, whereas Venture is the only weak song. Everything else is MAGNIFICENT!! Move over harmonica, the organ is officially the most underrated instrument now. EVERY climax of each song is immaculate, the guitar and keyboards are always on point, the singing has never been better! Nothing could ever match what CttE is, but they started off with making a more consistent album throughout instead of only in one song. All timer. ii. Fragile (1971) A- [3 listens A-/A-/A-] first time I actually felt like I got Rick Roll'd by an album, as I didn't realize that the song from that meme was from Roundabout lol. The song is great and is even better the longer it develops. However, it does fall apart as the album gets deeper, particularly in the second side. I read on the recording of this album and saw that the individual members worked on separate tracks as they were being rushed and it really shows, as there are very understated and disconnected from everything else next to them. It becomes very noticeable when a song like Roundabout literally kicks off the tracklist and you have to follow it. Now, I can see the path on their way to how CttE is formatted, as it's just 3 "Roundabouts" in a row. Good listen, but very unbalanced.
3. ZZ Top - Tres Hombres (1973) A++ [6 listens B/B++/A-/A+/A+/A++] I listened to Eliminator and thought it was kinda meh and someone suggested to listen to this, as this is their "signature sound". Thank God I did, because this is probably my favorite Blues Rock album I've heard so far. The choruses are solid and aren't straying too far from the standard Blues layout, but it's the drumming, guitar licks and the solos that won me. That drum lick on the opening of La Grange is so damn sweet. Hell Raiser's solo is so amazing. The guitar riff on Master of Sparks is so catchy. The guitar & bass interplay on Shiek and Precious and Grace are amazing. Honestly, even though the song structures aren't that unique, they did the absolute best with what they had. But if I'm being honest, the 3 additional live tracks at the end put it over the edge for me. The energy is palpable.
4. Joni Mitchell: i. Court and Spark (1974) A [3 listens A/A/A] been awhile since I listened to Joni Mitchell's Blue, but I still catch myself randomly humming verses from My Old Man and Carey, so she's managed to find a place to hide out in the corners of my brain. It's a more jovial Mitchell and a forward looking project, instead of her sulking in her life experiences. A "recollection" of memories with her stories, with how scattered the writing flows. My favorite songs are Help Me, Free Man in Paris, Just Like This Train, Raised On Robbery. Nice album, she's starting to flirt with Jazz, but not as risky as what would come after. Also, Twisted needs to be cut from this album tho; such an odd fit. ii. The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975) A [3 listens A/A+/A] she's completely single and ready to mingle now with this one; in terms of the music. Playing off the cover art, its sound likes she's taking a stroll through the park, meeting strangers with different instruments and styles, stopping to sit in the grass or dance around with someone and moving on to the next person. This feels more unplanned compared to the others, which helps it create a separate identity from the rest of her work. I do think the songs struggle in the first half, but the second side are much stronger. Shades of Scarlett, Harry's House, The Boho Dance and the title track are my favorites. Also, the music and the combination of instruments on display is way more enthralling than the lyrics and her signature storytelling. It's very good, but there's definitely more complete albums she's made. iii. Hejira (1976) A+ [3 listens B/B++/A+/A+] For some reason, early on this is the album that hit the wall for me, as I i kinda got tired of her not really changing her vocal cadence that much in the first 2 listens. After getting pass that, it's hard not to respect her. I still don't think this album does much too advance her music on a stylistic level, as the previous two have, but fuck, she's so damn great at writing. Furry Sings the Blues, Refuge of the Road, A Strange Boy... just such amazing storytelling in those alone. Also, Song for Sharon is possibly my favorite Joni Mitchell song now; just perfection. Had that slow, casual feel reminiscent of Blue that is rare to come across. I honestly hate albums like this, "growers", as even now, I feel like if I listen to this a few more times, I'd come to admire it more.
5. Iggy Pop: i. The Idiot (1977) A+ [5 listens A-/A/A/A+/A+] I've gone through all of the Stooges albums and now it's time for Iggy Pop's solo material. Both of these were made along side Bowie's Berlin Trilogy and as the producer, his fingerprints are all over it. The desolate guitars ringing, while a very uncommonly low energy Iggy sings over it all. If the first half of Low could be called a trial run for New Wave music, then this album is the trial run for Post Punk. Also, the album art perfectly matches the tone of the album: a blue/black picture in the cold, mysterious darkness of night... with a clueless Iggy just along for the ride lol. This has his signature deadpan style, but none of the Garage Rock energy he's knows for, which imo makes this effort a more respectable leap then he may think. I read he really doesn't "claim" this album, as he sees it as more for a Bowie project, but this album is definitely made better with his inclusion. Yes, the music is the biggest part, but idk if you could just replace Bowie on any of these songs and it'd be instantly better. ii. Lust of Life (1977) B [3 listens B-/B+/B] Wow, the album where he put his "foot down" and went in on making an album that HE wanted, is of course the one I left unimpressed by. Not that it's bad, but it's just a Stooges album with, again, not of that high octane energy. Success and The Passenger are phenomenal songs, but everything else is just your by "the numbers" Rock n Roll standards with an updated Garage spirit than anything as inventive at The Idiot.
6. Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy (1978) B+ [2 listens B+/B+] Genuinely can't remember how he got on my list or even remember if anyone even recommended him. But this is considered his "best album" and plus, outside of Elton John, I haven't really explored many Rock that centers around the Piano. It's a fun album, albeit very crude and satirical at times, it managed to balance it out well. Outside the double take lyrics, none of these songs are too special. I like the nice piano jingle of Werewolves of London and the title track is an interesting song. However, the last few songs tanked it. Okay listen; not everybody is an "album artist", as the singles were the best parts.
7. Wire: i. Chairs Missing (1978) A [4 listens B++/A/A/A] Wire! Pink Flag has managed to become an all time favorite since discovering it and honestly wasn't aware that they actually had other albums just as critically praised as it. As a 2nd album, it comes off very odd, but with hindsight of what follows it, it's easy to see that it's just stuck between two worlds: the world of "Proto"-Post Punk and the extended end of the "concept" of Post Punk. None of their music really feels like "Post Punk" as they never seem to conform to any genre sound. Where Pink Flag feels like a group of teens making Punk with a solid background in music, they weren't out to be "experimental" with the music. Here the Hardcore edge is removed, which allows their artistry to become more visible, but they're moving away from this subversion. Mercy, Practice Makes Perfect, I Am the Fly, Marooned, Outdoor Minor are the good ones. It's still very ahead of its time and still ahead of the curb. ii. 154 (1979) A++ [6 listens A-/A+/A++/A++/A++/A++] sometimes you have to let the thing you want go in order to fully accept the possibility that something can be better. I still desire a Pink Flag 2, but I'll be a fool to dismiss how amazing this is. The extremely eeriely brooding and atmospheric environment is pushing the limits of what Post Punk should even be. A song like Other Window creepy as fuck, due to Graham Lewis' increased vocal role, adding SO much to this tone. Touching Display is how every droning guitar should be used; deep, whole notes and if it was made in the 90s, it'll be my favorite Post Rock song outside of Slint. This is Avant-Post Punk essentially; carving out a deep future path for Gothic Rock to eventually go down. Also, SYNCOPATED RHYTHMS!! There are many bands to do it (often Pop bands), but none do it better with a heavy and Punk sound as they do. Also, compared to Pink Flag, there's SO little fat on here; so yes, it's definitely their best album. The ONLY flaw is the ending sequencing of it... Map should've been the closer and it would be PERFECT. / Colin Newman - A-Z (1980) A [4 listens B++/B/A+/A] Colin Newman's solo project and the "unofficial 4th Wire album" as many of the songs were written while the band was together. And it is obvious the time frame when, as it's more of a 154 Part 2 with how very unattached it is to being "Post Punk". However, similar to Chairs Missing, it's an unfocused album with so many great ideas. This is probably where I'd say it's too experimental, as some of these songs are just too intentionally eccentric. To be frank, I think he's trying too hard to be "weird" to match that energy of 154, but the weirdness was from the tone and how desolate the energy was. Whereas here, the energy is completely up and down and the oddness is in the erratic style than it's ambiance. This one probably has more moments and songs that I love more, but this makes Chairs Missing appear more concise lol. Still very good if you're a Wire fan, even if you can still sense that it's not really a true "Wire" project.
8. Siouxsie and the Banshees: i. Kaleidoscope (1980) B+ [3 listens A/A-/B+] with a different lineup this time around, interested to see how they will develop their sound going into the 80s. And it's kinda as I expected: more diverse instruments, more grooves with in the basslines and leaning on the singing to lead the direction. As the songs go on, they (specifically Siouxsie Sioux) lose their energy. Side 2 has all the best songs, while the first is lacking. Solid listen, but feels they overdid it when they should've kept it simple like on Scream. I respect the attempt and was probably a needed change due to how fast Post Punk was developing, but it could've been done more succinctly. ii. Juju (1981) A+ [2 listens A/A+] Well shit, it's like they already knew my criticisms lol. Finally dynamic songs! Partially why Bauhaus has become my favorite Post Punk/Gothic band, is that the song's layout and rhythms changes throughout a single song and doesn't remain static. Sioux is an all timer in presence, but not so much with singing imo, so she's used so much better as she's highlighted spottingly, particularly in crescendoing over the music. Also, this is heavy as hell; Monitor sounds like a SOAD track... Damn! Honestly, I thought this was going to be a repeat of Kaleidoscope, but man did they knock it out of the park. Fine tuned what they did and allowed themselves to amplify it without losing their identity completely.
9. Bathory: i. Self-Titled (1984) B++ [3 listens B++/B++/B++] the first "official" Black Metal album or EP given its length. Not only are the song structures primitive, but the mixing is as well. I think it works for what it is; something completely new. Even they didn't know what they were doing and it feels that way. The bassline is what seals the deal, as it keeps things very grounded. And the guitar is... well, it lays down the foundation of what Black Metal will become; for better or for worse. The production is really holding this back; it's very poorly mixed. The frayed sound of the guitars looses a lot of edge, which admittedly does make it an easier listen, but so much of its power is lost. Reaper, Raise the Dead, Necromancy, guitar solo on Sacrifice are the highlights. ii. Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987) A+ [4 listens A+/A/A+/A+] I really love this album. Woman of Dark Desires, Massacre, 13 Candles, Enter the Eternal Fire, with that AWESOME guitar solo in the middle! This is the perfect step up, sound quality included. More songs with distinct identities, loved the pacing throughout and a very "easy" listen (i.e. no overly chaotic guitar solos). That's usually my main critique with most Extreme Metal albums is that songs tend to run into one another and there's very little differences between them all. The riffs are different, the tempo is different and the drumming is changed up on every song. Great album! But similar to all of their other stuff, I just wish it was longer. iii. Blood Fire Death (1988) A [3 listens A/A+/A] Another great album, but it's not a consistent as UtSotBM. I enjoyed the acoustic sections (that would later influence viking metal) which raises it up some points. It was an unexpected skill I didn't think they were capable of. However, this album is one that's trying to be two things: it does one really well and just "sorta" touches on the other one. It would've been great to see a better balance between these terrific Black Metal sections and these Viking Metal acoustic ones, giving equal time to each. I hope they would find a better balance in a future album, but I'm only listening to these 3. All were good listens and held up much better for pioneers of a genre.
10. The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985) A [4 listens A+/A/A/A] a long awaited listen after seeing so much about this. It doesn't really come off as "Punk" but as legit, Irish/Celtic shanties. The novelty wears off after a few listens though. It's very genuine in its execution and doesn't come off as gimmicky at all. It's very 2 note: uptempo or slow wailing songs. Waltzing Matilda and I'm a Man You Don't Meet Everyday are by far the best songs here, with Dirty Old Town, Wild Cats and Sally MacLennane in that 2nd tier below. Really good and takes itself very serious.
11. Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician (1987) C+ [2 listens B-/C+] speaking of talking itself seriously.... here's the complete opposite. It's very VERY hard to actually get into this as it's just absurdist for absurdism sake as most of it is just so empty. There are a few sparks of musical inspirations that show they are capable of something more serious, but they seem to enjoy being nonsensical over making compelling music. It doesn't necessarily have to be serious satire or just cut and dry (I love Ween), but there has to be a point to this madness or else it just comes off as simply... madness.
12. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988) A+ [2 listens A/A+] Sounds like a "Heavy" Hair Metal band. The story is simply "okay" and that's being nice, as this was way over hyped, that I expected something like a To Pimp a Butterfly of themes and stories intersecting. This is like a Hair Metal version of the Wall. It feels more like a musical than a concept album with a linear story, which loses stream after Breaking the Silence. It is very melodramatic especially in the second half, but it was the 80s... However, it has Spreading the Disease so all of that is a wash; we don't got guys hitting high notes like that anymore, which you gotta admit Hair Metal nailed that with perfection. A++ music but A concept, so right in the middle.
13. Coroner: i. No More Color (1989) A- [3 listens A+/A/A-] first non big 4 Thrash. I don't know how popular they were beyond Europe, but they were pioneers in the Technical Thrash Metal (sometimes called Prog Thrash). The main issue is that all the songs run into one another, without any significant parts to either of them. They set their songs around the guitar solos (which can be unmemorable at best and very messy at worse), which furthers mushes everything together. This is why I tend to value pacing in music, especially in Heavy Metal. There's plenty of good riffs to be found, but you have to sludge your way to find them. ii. Mental Vortex (1991) A+ [2 listens A+/A+] great follow-up. The guitar is still leading every song, but it's not fully taking control over the identity of every one. The drumming and the shifts in the music (similar to Metallica's 80s work) better distinguishes each track, making every phrase more dynamic. It's pretty good, but admittedly the She's So Heavy cover puts it just over to be an A+; better than the original because its fully realized metal and ends 30 seconds sooner :p
14. Swervedriver - Mezcal Head (1993) A++ [4 listens A++/A++/A++/A++] a Grunge album in Shoegaze clothing. The music is very unassuming with its generic 90s vocals, but that's how that Shoegaze sound sneaks up on you. The reverb on every guitar note constantly adds texture to every moment, almost drowning you with its heaviness. And THEN, that's when the vocals start to shine; like warm light of a log cabin in the middle of a heavy, blinding blizzard. Also, Duress is up there along side Venus in Furs as those all timers I know I'll forever be listening to for decades to come. Phenomenal album, highly recommend! ii. Raise (1991) A- [2 listens A/A-] literally decided to listen to this days before finishing up as I didn't know this album was also a landmark in Shoegaze (maybe moreso than MH). This is the album shows that less discussed bridge from Noise Rock to Shoegaze, as so many places only consider Shoegaze as a direct evolution of Dream Pop. This is a true Alternate Rock sound, with heavy guitar distortion; but not to the extent to what Shoegaze is really known as. This is closer to Dinosaur Jr or Sonic Youth than MBV or Slowdive. That aside, its pretty good for a debut. The melodies aren't as great as MH, but a few songs like Son of Mustang Ford, Sandblasted and Sunset were great foundation points of what would follow. Wouldn't say it's a must listen, but it's a good entry.
15. Kyruss - Welcome to Sky Valley (1994) A [3 listens A-/A/A] Josh Homme from his original band and the "birth" of the Desert Rock genre. Solid album, I like the atmosphere it creates as a laid back, background album. Complete opposite of QQTSA in where it's like wandering down a barren "desert", instead of a isolated highway listening to a radio station. It works. Nothing here will jump out at you, but it's very clear that that's not the intent with it. Idk if I'd say it's a must listen, as I can see it being called uneventful. But it's a good listen if you want some background music with some grit to it.
16. Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind (1996) A+ [2 listens A+/A+] the last Swans I'm going to listen to as I didn't care much for To Be Kind, so I imagine I'm not gonna like any of their other stuff. This is in a different direction, where it doesn't even seem to be "music" at times. This makes GY!BE appear accessible in comparison. This is like flicking through the channels on a TV in this weird, strange motel in the middle of nowhere. A lot of dull, drawn out moments that actually work this time around, as it helps paint a better scene of this eldritch-like world it's in. If it had more of those spontaneous, random fully formed tracks, I'll love it more, however their sporadic appearances make them more special when they're coming out of nowhere. This is rare project where I feel that more listens would lower my love for it, as that unpredictability of it is its greatest strength.
17. Duster - Stratosphere (1998) A [3 listens A/A/A] VERY lofi with its low quality mixing. It's the pacing of Shoegaze without the distortion and the blasé attitude of Slacker Rock without the traditional song structure, to a point where it's closest to Post Rock but still has that character of your favorite 90s Indie Rock band (I'm also lost as well). RYM calls it Slowcore, which I find kinda cool. This is like if depression was an album; all the ebbs and flows of your mood slowly dropping, staying at a low point, that occasional optimism and right back into that shallow pit of somber, where you managed to make a somewhat cozy cottage due to you being there for so many times. Slowest part of a Built to Spill album, with a budget of $18 for production, bring a singer with possible self-esteem issues and tell them to make a 50 min lullaby to get a shoegaze-loving kid to sleep. I'm all out of metaphors.
18. Gustavo Cerati - Bocanada (1999) A+ [3 listens A+/A+/A+] another album I can't quite remember how it got on my list, but Trip Hop is another one of those genres that outside of Massive Attack and Portishead that I have very little experience with. Even though the lyrics are in a foreign language, it didn't hurt the overall experience of the album (it have may limited it being better though). Melancholy in his voice and the music, contrasting with the Trip Hop style. Tabu, Rio Babel, and Pasco Immoral are the ones that I recommend checking out if the runtime can be off-putting to some; but it's well worth the journey. Wonderful album that I'm glad I came across.
19. Immolation - Close to a World Below (2000) A [4 listens A+/A/A/A] Better than most Death Metal. Love that the vocalist is slow with his pace (he was great!), along with a solid and steady guitar riffs. I really dislike that drum sound (banging on the toms), but that's a hurdle it feels like you have to overcome to really get into the genre itself. Any of the first 4 songs and Lost Passion are worth checking out.
20. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001) B+ [3 listens B++/B++/B+] I get why they're labeled Blues Rock. Maybe I didn't notice it before, but he sings like John Lennon, where he constantly on that upper octave (which is well out of their ranges) and they crack notes a lot. It's charming to a certain degree, but I don't think it really works with this heavy style. My biggest issue with it is that it's doing multiple things at once, instead of separately. The loud songs are too understated, as Union or Offend should be a bigger, hard, fast paced songs but instead have slow sections. They have this heavy guitar for no reason. We're going to Be Friends and This Protector being tender songs, when it's full acoustic and has a consistent theme, further adds to the lack of uniformity. Also, songs rarely change/switch up, which normally isn't that big of a issue, but when they're all 3+ minutes long, they all drag on. I know what a "perfect version" sounds like from them, so a lot of missteps feel more obvious than if it was blind to me, but I'm not super invested in this album, even with the number of listens.
21. Muse: i. Absolution (2003) A++ [5 listens A++/A+/A++/A++/A++] what if Radiohead chose to stay in 1997? What is it with these Post BritPop bands with incredible sophomore releases? Similarly to Coldplay, I didn't care much for Origin of Symmetry and had low expectations going into this. I don't know if I'm being too generous as only about 3 or 4 of these songs are really strong, however none are what I'd consider skips. This album is so damn tight in its tracklist. Some of the best collections of hooks and bridges ever. The singing isn't always on point, but the way they nail down the perfect formula for every song overshadows most of their faults in not being too special in any particular category. ii. Black Holes and Revelations (2006) A++ [3 listens A/A++/A++] Back to back bangers?! This one is probably my favorite, especially with how strong the second half of the album is. All the songs are great, but aren't straight retreads of what Absolution brought with the varied added instruments. Again, nothing they're doing is otherworldly, but they execute the structures of all of the songs so perfectly, that you tend to ignore the mediocrity of the band members' skills individually. They're the sum of their parts; heavily carried by their collaboration with the songwriting. These two albums are BARLEY A++ though... so if I give these two A++s, then I'm going to retroactively make Ok Computer a "Masterpiece", because it doesn't sit right with me with them being on the same level. Great pair of albums; y'all sleeping on Muse?
22. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004) B+ [3 listens B+/B++/B+] okay, this is emo, like legit emo pop. TBP had a bigger theatrical element infused in its identity, whereas this has all of its personality in its lyrics. And the lyrics are very... tbh cringe. Songs go in too long; great choruses and lyrics, but having the same structure over and over is too repetitive for me to really get into it. It's very melodramatic, particularly in the singing, which at least does make it a compelling listen. I just wish the music followed suit as well. He is also too frantic in his performance, where on TBP it is limited to a few songs. Maybe this is the line where it is too raw.
23. Joanna Newsom: i. YS (2006) B- [2 listen A-/B-] DENSE AS FUCK. Makes Bob Dylan look like an haiku writer. Each song is a storybook, that requires heavy attention. Music itself is not too impressive outside its complexity in the instrumentation. This non-stop, continuous nature of her singing is the major turn off. To a point where it's very hard to follow any story she's trying to paint and the entire thing feels tiring. I do like the harp playing and the orchestral spurts that brighten phrases, but that's the only positive I can come up with. Big disappointment and kinda soured me on her going forward. However, I decided on a whim to give her one more try and.... ii. The Milk Eyed Mender (2004) Masterpiece [3 listens A++/MP/MP] being majorly disappointed with YS, I decided to try her more stripped down Debut before completely writing her off, as the albums following YS are very long listens. And it turns out I actually enjoy this much more; matter of fact, I can't find any flaws within it: ZERO. Yes, her voice is even more of a sore thumb when most of the attention is on it (those harmonies on Peach Plum and Pear sound like Nightmare Fuel tbh). But if I can call Blonde on Blonde a perfect album, I can give a pass to her voice. Her flow in the songs are SOOO much better, that it makes YS looks even worse in that department. The harp playing isn't grand, but subdued in line with her wandering through each song; ebbing and flowing along with her energy in each track. Her cadence and timbre in how she sings is second to none her.
24. The Beach Boys: Brian Wilson Presents Smile (2005) A- [2 listens A/A-] most of my thoughts on in the Sessions review, as his worned voice hampered the album. I will say this imo would've bombed in 1967; baroque ballads, no rock lol. It would've kicked started Progressive Rock about 5 years sooner, but it wouldn't have made such a huge splash considering the trend all of music was already headed in at that point. This feels more like a live album / The Smile Sessions (2011) A++ [5 listens A/A/A+/A+/A++] BWPS felt like a monkey Brian needed to finally get off his back. A personal album made by Brian himself, whereas BWPS kinda feels like the "gift" to the world that SMiLE was promised as. This still has that youthful, tender energy of creation, where it's unabashedly open with its oddities. Kind of like how Beach Boys Today! was a left turn in their careers, this would've been that for Pet Sounds. BWPS was trying to meet SMiLE's high expectations; this is more honest. The harmonies are so warm, with the perfect blend of pathos. There's more playful instruments in the background that make the whole thing feel more playful. A few of the mixes aren't done well - "Wistful" is the best way to describe this project. Good vibrations finally "fits" inside an album; we can all die in peace now. It's too baroque to be really accessible and too Prog to have real standout hit singles. But as a confined experience, BY FAR the best the Beach Boys have made... or uhm would've made.
25. Sweet Trip - You Will Never Know Why (2009) A++ [4 listens A-/A++/MP/A++] ...I wish I didn't look up the background of this band before I listened to this. I went into Velocity Design and Comfort fully blind and while it's not the exact style I'm personally into, it's still so unique in what it brought, that I still think of it fondly. That is until I learned about one of the band members. The thing people don't understand about the "separate the art from the artist" thing is that is isn't because of a sense of "morally superiority", it's that every time I listen or consume the art.... I can't NOT think of them and what happened. I enjoyed this album a lot, but most of my time listening, my mind was clearly distracted. I was dying for them to go fully into the Electronic-Jangle Pop space they only would briefly explore on VDC. Valerie Cooper's singing is still SO awe inspiring and freezes you in time, easily the greatest part of the music. The only flaw is that it has only a handful of jingles that really grip me. Also, no entire song pulls me in the whole run, it's only really the chorus and occasionally the transitions between tracks (which are outstanding btw) which was also an issue with the VDC. If it was also a tad bit heavier in certain moments, that would've helped me overlook a lot of this minor flaws. Phenomenal album and perfect follow up, but it's gonna take some time before I can revisit this, as it's hard to mentally disassociate the individual from the music while it's so fresh in my mind.
Bonus Albums: (shorter reviews)
• Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor (1979) A [3 listens B/A/A] colorful and joyful. Sounds like this was the singular inspiration of every Nintendo soundtrack from the 80s and 90s lol. Liked the slow parts, but the bouncy songs are very fun to listen to. Low stakes but still aged wonderfully.
• Gary Numen - The Pleasure Principal (1979) B [2 listens B+/B] futuristic, yet undefined. Weird vocal style is kinda weird, not everyone can pull it off like David Byrne or Devo. Isn't jovial enough like YMO nor is breaking any new ground with the layout like Kraftwerk to compensate for its simplicity. Cars was a nice surprise tho.
• Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Architecture and Morality (1981) A- [3 listens B++/A-/A-] finally a legit "Pop" singer. Synths are used as an aesthetic and not a crutch, now starting to feel like a more modern (or 80s I guess) style. Joan of Arc and Souvenir are my favorites. Good, but nothing too incredible.
• Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair (1985) A++ [2 listens A++/A++] holy hell, way way better than I expected it would be. I knew the two popular songs, but they were more denser and bigger than I assumed they were. The production here is so lush and wide, immediately obvious they were very "familiar" with the technology by then. I will be adding more of their albums for more detailed reviews on a future list. (Prob the Hurting and Seeds)

I would love to hear any feedback regarding these arrangements. Performance practice ideas and phrasing perhaps? There are so many ways to play this great Celtic music, and I have not really embellished melody the way that singers often do. So, it is fairly bland in that regard, but I did my best to fill out the harmony in ways that sound good on guitar. Enjoy it and I would love to start a discussion about this music.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SFUHxjsN2vFDs86TGcXZbU4SKKhjAOg&si=xk1LDWJWdcwguiLk

I would love to hear any feedback regarding these arrangements. Performance practice ideas and phrasing perhaps? There are so many ways to play this great Celtic music, and I have not really embellished melody the way that singers often do. So, it is fairly bland in that regard, but I did my best to fill out the harmony in ways that sound good on guitar. Enjoy it and I would love to start a discussion about this music.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SFUHxjsN2vFDs86TGcXZbU4SKKhjAOg&si=xk1LDWJWdcwguiLk

Some albums have grown on me, and others I really liked upon first listen but didn't end up sticking with me. I think I may have been overly harsh with the Nirvana album, which I have revisted since then. And while I thought happy monday's was awesome the first time I heard them, I feel almost no desire to listen to them now.
Worst to best
Oar - Alexender spence- 1
Can't help but feel this album made the list due to the mentally unstable- genius romanticism. But this isn't Brian Wilson making Smile.
There are moments that album show's some potential, but it is so half-assed in it's production and performance that it makes it very difficult to listen to.
I don't enjoy listening to someone having a mental breakdown, it's just sad
Cheap Thrills Big Brother & The Holding Company 2
Average sounding blues/rock band with a singer who stands out.
Listening to a song or 2 with can be enjoyable given the sheer power of Janis Joplin, but can't make up for songwriting and instrumentation which doesn't sound particularly good.
Listened to about half the album, before I got tired of it.
Cross Justice 2
Found this grating to listen to, was disappointed because I expected more from this album
The Bones Of What You Believe CHVRCHES 2
Catchy, well done pop.
The voice sounds so neutral, that it doesn't express any emotion at all to me, the music has it moments but tires fast as it doesn't swing. Ultimately it's well done but sounds sterile to me.
Dare! The Human League 2
Not offensive but not memorable, which I think is among the worst things an album can be. Other albums might be harder to listen to, but have interesting moments that stick with me.
Bat Out Of Hell Meat Loaf 2
I respect the ambition to create this, but don't enjoy listening to it
2. Rem Automatic For The People R.E.M. 2
While I really like some of REM's songs, I found to chord progressions to be relatively uninteresting, and the album doesn't have the attitude or transcendent performance to make up for it.
I have to admit though, that I don't think I gave it a deep listen, and that my opinion might change if I do
Siamese Dream The Smashing Pumpkins 2
Instantly recognizable as a band. They found their space in the scene and I understand their popularity. The songwriting is alright, and the band also sounds tight.But I just can't tune into their music, stylistically the production sounds too crisp. Corrigan's voice is grating and the songs don't stick with me. I appreciate the fact that the lyrical themes are dark, in a way that seems genuine. But it's easier to relate to that if you dig the music (which I experience when I listen to Alice in Chains)
The Colour Of Spring Talk Talk 3
Interesting elements, but couldn't really get into it
A Little Deeper Ms. Dynamite 3
Decent album, first artist I hadn't heard of at all from the generator. When I heard "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" I thought I might be in for a banger of an album. But it turned out to be the best song on the album.Very of it's era, both in it's production/performance and lyrical themes.There are occasionally pretty original arrangements and Ms.Dynamite is a very good singer, I can understand why it resonated at the time it was released but can also understand why it isn't viewed as a classic album all these years.
The Village Green Preservation Society The Kinks 3
Global reviews
Good melodies and guitar-work, with at times clever lyrics.
Also interesting that each song is a character study.However this nostalgia for all things traditionally english (which I and most people can't relate to at all) , and it clearly taking place in it's time gives it character but also dates it.(The Beatles have kind of similar themes in songs like Penny Lane, but the visuals / story-telling and central themes are so good that it makes it universal and timeless)
To me the album is imaginative and upbeat but simply sounds kind of dated, and doesn't transcend in such a way that I feel really compelled to revisit it again beyond a couple songs.Would give it 3.5 stars as I thought it was pretty good, but not amazing
Hotel California Eagles 3
While the Eagles are one of the best selling bands of all time, it's notable that they aren't really loved by the younger generations. Certainly not at all the way Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin or of course The Beatles are
They do almost everything very well; they all are very strong instrumentalists, the harmonies are on point, they have good musical chemistry and occasionally can churn out a strong lyric. Morever if the rest of the album was as strong as the first two songs the album would merit a really high rating, but the album decreases in quality (mostly songwritingwise) after that. And exposes the fact that The Eagles can be cheesy and boring at times. Still "New kid in town" and particularly Hotel California are fantastic songs fully deserving of being classics. Try and love is alright as well.
25 Home Is Where The Music Is Hugh Masekela 3
I appreciate his influence in South Africa as a jazz pioneer, but I didn't find the album particularly inspiring. The playing is solid and grooves, and there are high moments but I don't have the feeling that this is something I have to revisit
From Elvis In Memphis Elvis Presley 3
By 1969, Elvis had lost a lot of his cultural relevancy. With the Beatles and psychedelia taking over.Just as Sinatra wasn't welcoming to Elvis, when Elvis became huge. Elvis put down the Beatles (remarking to Nixon that they were a bad influence)His move to las vegas where his act was once too risqué is an indication that he was no longer the cool rebel but rather a symbol of times past.Still Elvis, rather than change stylistically to keep with the times sticks with what he knows .Vocally he sounds fantastic and the backing band sounds great too.The album does drag a little bit though, and doesn't seem to acknowledge the incredibly interesting changes happening at the time in popular music. At times it swings but at others it sounds dated. The guitar's bass and drums sound earthy and great but the string arrangements sound cheesy.Rather than listening to the whole album, I might re-visit specific songs.
Daydream Nation Sonic Youth 3
I admit I went into this with a bias against Sonic Youth.
They seemed to me to be the definition of style over substance, and they seemed like they viewed themselves as the coolest people ever. (See their interview with Nardwuar) Already in the first song I could hear that they were pretty innovative, as they sound like a 90s band despite the fact the album was made in the 80s. I could hear how the instrumentation(particularly the guitars) influenced great bands and albums (Loveless, The Bends) I would say they sound like an assortment of important 90s bands, but in reality I guess many 90s bands sound like them. Despite that, listening to the album confirmed some of my prejudices; the spoken word sections are meaningless and pretentious. The social critiques (lyrically) sound really basic and the album is excessively long. Still there are really interesting moments musically, particularly in the instrumental sections. The music sounds raw and at the same time very clear and layered. It sounds DIY but sophisticated and even when it's noisy and wild they create an interesting atmosphere.
3.5/5 because while it's innovative and interesting, it has it's drawbacks and to my ear's doesn't have that much replay value.
MTV Unplugged In New York Nirvana 3
Was expecting more from this, based on the couple songs I had heard in the past.Part of the appeal of Nirvana is the fact that they combine really catchy almost pop-ish melodies with explosive instrumentation that has a genuine edge. Kurt Cobain can sing the living hell out of a song, and his voice has a yearning, an anger and delicateness which puts all of Nirvana's elements together.The issue I have with the unplugged, is that a lot of songs don't hold up as well in the acoustic format. Songs like "Come as you Are" "I'm on a plain" lose of all their thrill factor and don't hold up well enough as compositions to excel in that context. Others though, like "All Apologies and Something in the way" lend themselves better to an acoustic format. The stand out of the show is Leadbelly's "Where do you sleep at night" where Kurt Cobain delivers an incredibly heart-felt vocal.The album attained a legendary status, in part because seeing the top grunge icons of the day (especially one so punky) playing acoustic with a really beautiful setting was no doubt really interesting at the time, and Kurt Cobain's pre-mature death gives seeing such an intimate performance an added dimension.If you take out Nirvana's status as grunge legends and all the mystique that exists around them, what you have is a band with an exceptional singer that doesn't sound it's best in an acoustic format.
8 Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches Happy Mondays 4
Very funky and original.Well performed and produced, even though its at times deeply layered you can hear every element clearly and it's never overloaded.The lyrics are fun and catchy too.Particularly excellent guitar playing and bass playing. Lastly, making good happy music isn't easy, and they really pull it off so there's that too
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs Marty Robbins 4
Global reviews
Very good storyteller, the songs are basically like short stories.And the music is really enjoyable to listen too also
Third Portishead 4
A very hard album to rate.Full of dissonant chord changes and melodies, hypnotic arrangements/loops. The singer captures isolation and trauma almost uncomfortably well.
The lack of emotional diversity (it almost all sounds isolated/alienated to me) hurts the replay value of it, this is an album to listen to when in a specific mood. I also think it's a very good album to listen to in small doses. There's a ton of interesting ideas and arrangements and they certainly accomplish what it is they seemed to be going for (capturing said isolation)
3.5 stars for the many fresh interesting ideas, I don't feel good giving the album 3 stars (seems to low for such a well executed album) but 4 seems excessive given that I didn't enjoy listening to the whole album much.
Going to give it 4
Do check out individual songs though
Machine head, Nylon Smile, We Carry on
Surrealistic Pillow Jefferson Airplane 4
Somewhat inconsistent album, and sometimes to hippy-ish.
But the standout tracks are really amazing.
I love the poetry of Today and particularly of Comin Back to Me, just beautiful songwriting.
As well as the power of Grace Slick and catchiness of Somebody to Love.
Interesting production choices too, what an insane amount of reverb on the drums. Sounds like someone is playing far in the distance.
The band plays well, has two very good singers (who compliment each other perfectly) and the songwriting is at times amazing. That trascends any weaknessess the album may have
Joan Armatrading Joan Armatrading 4
Really good songwriting, which in my mind is one of the most valuable and hardest things to find in music.
Younger Than Yesterday The Byrds 4
A rare example of an album who's second half is much stronger than the first.
The Byrds are at their best when they go introspective and personal. Everybody's Been Burned is beautiful and mysterious song with a lyric that reflects on the nature of love. Crosby's odd phrasing works perfectly in the song making it sound like he has deeply meditated both emotionally/spiritually on whether it is worth it to become vulnerable in the face of love with inevitable brevity and pain that certainly comes with it. Mind Gardens is also a fantastic song with with reflects on coping mechanisms in a very fresh and different way. The song builds perfectly along with the lyric, holding you the whole time.
There are times where the Byrds can sound just pleasant and not particularly interesting or deep, but Crosby's compositions elevate the album and give it a different dimension. It's a shame the album consists mostly of other writer's compositions. Most of the album is a 3, but because it has a couple incredible songs I'm going to round up to 4
Best songs: (in order)
Everybody's been burned
Mind Gardens
My Back Pages
Renaissance Fair
Highway 61 Revisited Bob Dylan 4
Bob Dylan goes electric, with a fantastic backing band (The Band)
What's interesting about Bob Dylan (from a lyrical perspective) is how the lyrics seem at once polished while simultaneously seeming like a total stream of consciousness. The lyrics sound good, the story-telling is amazing (and at many times funny) and yet something about his delivery and perhaps his willingness of veer off course narratively (though he always finds his way back) make it seems fresh.It's an interesting contrast with Leonard Cohen, who's lyrics sound totally perfect and thought-out. Dylan instead comes across as kind of wild and unpredictable (Cohen can be unpredictable too in his words, but everything seems pre-meditated) While with Dylan it's like fuck it, "the sun's not yellow it's chicken!"
The first song is a masterpiece, just incredible story-telling. Every line is piercing, and often clever and devastating. You feel mixed about the once-rich main character who was fucked over by a diplomat with a siamese cat, yet was oblivious to inequality and suffering when they were well off.
Tombstone blues is fantastic too, so fun and stimulating.
Musically the album has it's high points but is less interesting than it's lyrics with some songs in my opinion being almost a little boring. The Band sounds better playing their own songs.
However the high points are awesome, so I think 4 stars make sense. 5 stars lyrically, 3 stars musically.
Vol. 4 Black Sabbath 4
Black Sabbath are one of the central pioneers in the metal genre, while
Beatle song's such as Helter Skelter or I want you or Jimi Hendrix's Manic depression were also very heavy it's Black Sabbath that puts the whole package together. The low end heavy and at times dissonant riffs, the iconic imagery, the often times dark lyrical themes. What sets Sabbath apart though from other metal icons is their versatility, the drummer's funkiness, the authentic vulnerability of Ozzy's lyrics on songs like changes. The riffage of Tony Iommi sometimes leading the way to beautiful almost celtic sounding ballads. This is pure metal, darkness explored in a way that is meaningful and real. Not the cartoonish "edgy-ness" of later bands, nor the dick-measuring contest of who can shred faster or play louder. Heavy, funky and at times beautiful
4.5 stars
Ellington at Newport Duke Ellington 5
The band sounds so crisp, sharp and sexy. So full of life, big band music at it's best
42 The Dark Side Of The Moon Pink Floyd 5
Pink Floyd's greatest album.
I also gave Exodus by Bob Marley a 5—
And didn’t review Sade- Diamond life but really liked it too.