heathermasonnum1fan

Latest Posts by heathermasonnum1fan

I absolutely love Musora, but especially these two videos. They show that a good song is good outside of genre or form. I just love these interpretations sm, it’s so refreshing to see such creativity and talent. If you have like 15 free minutes give at least one of these a watch, you won’t regret it.

Songs of the Week (4)

1. Hooker with a Penis (TOOL)

I know I already talked about Aenema on here (please don’t come for me I don’t know how to type out the AE character), but I really rediscovered it recently. In my opinion, this is TOOL’s best album, and Hooker with a Penis is definitely a highlight for me. I don’t even feel like I have to say that musically it’s amazing, mostly because I don’t think I’ve come across a single bad TOOL song, but I’ll mention it anyway because the chorus is absolutely stellar. What really drew me to this song, however, were the lyrics. Definitely some of their best work.

2. 4th of July (Soundgarden)

I don’t know what it is about this song but I’ve been listening to it nonstop for the past week. And by nonstop I mean at least 4 times a day. I’ve never been a big fan of Soundgarden and Superunknown was the only album of theirs I was actually familiar with (because of Black Hole Sun and Spoonman only to be honest), and I never thought I’d ever be this into any of their stuff, but this song did a complete 180 for me. I don’t know what it is about it that makes it so addictive, but it literally takes me to another dimension. I don’t know how to describe what I feel every time I listen to 4th of July, but I HIGHLY recommend it.

3. Сука Любовь (Antoha MC)

I don’t usually recommend Russian music on here because this obviously isn’t a Russian-speaking blog, but I’ll be making an exception for this one. The beat is absolutely heavenly, the vocals are a perfect fit, and the flow of this song is just insane overall. And yes, I know it’s a cover, but I would much rather listen to this version because the original, while not necessarily bad, is a kind of a confusing mix between reggae and 90s Russian pop (at least that’s how I would put it). You don’t need to know the language to enjoy this song, it’s absolutely magical either way.

4. Roads (Portishead)

I don’t think I’ve spoken about my love for Portishead on here yet, so I feel like Roads will be a great place to start. I’m going to be honest and admit that Dummy is the only record of theirs that I actively listen to but I feel like that’s enough because there’s nothing wrong with liking an artist’s most popular album because most of the time, it’s also their best one. Roads is beautiful all around, as is the entirety of Dummy, and as lately I’m increasingly drawn to calmer music, this is currently a perfect fit for me.

5. Heaven or Las Vegas (Cocteau Twins)

I don’t think I’ve spoken about Cocteau Twins yet either, so here’s Heaven or Las Vegas. Personally, I believe it’s the best song off the album, but to each their own. It’s such a summer song for me, and I listen to it whenever I want to be taken back to less stressful times. It’s so kind and weightless, I absolutely love it. I wish I could go into the technicalities of what makes this song as glowing as it is, but I’m not really a musician so I’ll just settle for saying that it overwhelms you in the best way possible; it feels like everything is happening all at once but it just makes the soul feel so light.

6. Reptilia (The Strokes)

Some will say the production sucks but I say it’s a creative decision. The mixing just adds to the ambience, which is amazing, so let it be. I like The Strokes quite a lot, but this song is just something else, it’s just so raw. I’ve already said that what I value most in music is genuineness, and Reptilia is nothing if not genuine. You can say that it’s simple musically, but in this case I, quite frankly, don’t care. The chorus is out of this world and the vocals in it are so beautifully fitting it makes me want to cry. This song also has one of my all time favourite lines on it (“the room is one fire as she’s fixing her hair”) so I will not be taking any criticism.

7. Aenema (TOOL)

I’m closing this week off with the best song off of Aenema. It’s just great, I don’t know what else to say. The repetition of “learn to swim,” the drumming, the flow from section to section, the palpable frustration, the tension buildup throughout the song, the vocal work, god it’s all just perfect. Songs that are this well-balanced and flow this organically are very hard to come by, and I’m endlessly happy I had the opportunity to come by it and the album altogether. This is one of those songs that is literally life-changing, crush-your-soul-and-take-you-to-another-dimension kind of deal. Absolute standout of this week.

This video is literally a piece of art.

I rarely connect with something on such an intense level, but in this case I can confidently say that I agree with like 99% of the things that were said.

I’m going to be honest here and admit that I was never really interested in The Beatles; that is not to say that I hate their music, it’s just that I don’t actively go out of my way to listen to it. I was also never really into the whole Yoko controversy, mostly because I felt like I didn’t know enough about the whole situation to take part in the discourse or to make my own claims. However, this video still really did it for me, mostly because while it does talk (in depth) about the intricacies of the breakup and assassination, it focuses mostly on the twisted narrative of ‘the evil woman that manipulated and destroyed the genius of a sensitive and accomplished man.’ I never really thought about how often we fall for it as a society or how popular it really is in today’s pop culture.

I absolutely loved the segment about Kurt Cobain and the ‘Courtney killed him’ conspiracy, as well as how passionate the author is about defending women in the industry by calling out those that villainise them without idealising these women in the process. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the overall argument is very cohesive and balanced and doesn’t let it sway too much in one direction.

I wholeheartedly recommend anyone with 2 hours to spare to give this a watch. Even I with my fried attention span was able to enjoy it, and I also just think that it’s beautifully made.

Songs of the Week (3)

1. Junkhead (Alice in Chains)

This was definitely an Alice in Chains week for me. Seasonal depression or whatever people choose to call it had me playing Dirt on repeat, and Junkhead is such an obvious standout (for me personally) that I just had to include it here. This song is so confident in what it wants to be that every listen feels different and it’s impossible to get tired of. Lyrical content and context aside, it’s a positive and enjoyable listen every single time.

2. Fist (Deftones)

Since Adrenaline’s 29th anniversary was a couple weeks ago and I forgot to make a post about it, I’m honoring it here. Besides, it was about time I added a Deftones song to one of these; just because there’s less of them in my daily rotation doesn’t mean I love the band any less. Fist is technically a hidden track, meaning that many forget about it when talking about Adrenaline, which I think is incredibly unfair. Fist is absolutely bewitching, a beautiful track that doesn’t really fit with the rest of the album, but it’s such a gorgeous addition that I could never have the heart to critique it.

3. Mic Check (Rage Against the Machine)

Is it obvious that I love the Battle of Los Angeles yet? I love how inventive this song is, what is done with the guitar and the vocal effects. It’s a little too out there to play in the car or public places, but god is it beautiful. One of the best tracks off the album.

4. Riders On The Storm (The Doors)

I’m switching it up a little this week. I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s the weather, but for some reason this song easily made it into my daily rotation. I don’t listen to The Doors much so this feels like a very welcome change. It’s so charming and confident and beautiful that sometimes I put it on just to calm myself down.

5. I Know Something (Alice in Chains)

I fucking love Facelift and this song is one of the main reasons why. I adore the bass on this one and the way it blends with Jerry Cantrell’s guitar is insane. It’s weirdly positive and upbeat for this album and Alice in Chains in general but in the best way possible; it brings a kind of funkness (is that even a word) to their work I really appreciate. An overall amazing listen, so captivating.

6. Jimmy Recard (Drapht)

This song was introduced to me by my stepdad and it’s actually one of the biggest reasons I love it so much. Music is one of our main bonding points and it’s just always so beautiful to have people you love give you a glimpse of their music taste (especially if the taste is stellar). I tend to gravitate towards music that’s a little different from Drapht, which only makes songs like these all the more interesting to me. Absolute banger.

7. Sober (TOOL)

Sober is this week’s TOOL song because apparently I need to have one on every single one of these. If I’m being completely honest, I haven’t checked out any other tracks from Undertow, but if Sober is anything to go by this album fucking rocks. As always, the lyrics are amazing, the vocals are as intense as can be, the atmosphere is transcendental, and the passion is out of this world. I have such a deep appreciation for this track because let’s be honest, there’s nothing like TOOL out there and this is an integral part of their origins.

HELP IM LOSING MY SHIT WITH SOME OF THESE

Songs of the Week (2)

1. Bullet in the Head (Rage Against the Machine)

I’m honestly such a sucker for anything RATM-related, but this song is definitely in my top 3 this week. The band is so good at coming up with short but insanely effective slogans (is that what you call it?); like “they say jump, you say how high,” for example. Zack de la Rocha is one of the most powerful frontmen of all time, which becomes especially obvious in Bullet in the Head. This song really does give me chills.

2. Schism (TOOL)

Almost half a year later, and I’m still on Lateralus. I can’t seem to let this album go, it’s just so transcendentally beautiful I have to give it another listen. And then another. And another. I get that Schism is probably the most well-known song off this album, but I’m so tired of the ridiculous narrative that you can’t enjoy the popular songs because it makes you a ‘fake fan’ or whatever. Schism is amazing no matter which way you choose to look at it.

3. Die, Die My Darling (The Misfits)

I was originally introduced to The Misfits when I was about 10 by my dad with Dig Up Her Bones, but didn’t think much of the song or of the band until last week. Not only do they have a very solid discography, but Die, Die My Darling is such a catchy and heartfelt track that I felt it was necessary to include it this week. Apart from the mixing, which is a little strange at times, this song absolutely slaps.

4. Bleed the Freak (Alice in Chains)

Kind of an obvious favorite from Facelift, but a favorite nonetheless. I rediscovered it this week after completely overplaying it in August, but Bleed the Freak is such a genuine masterpiece that I just can’t seem to leave it alone. I don’t know what they put in this song but I am unashamedly obsessed with it (again).

5. Lullaby (The Cure)

Yet another banger from Disintegration. I swear I’ll make a separate post on this album someday, but for now I’ll have to make do with speaking about separate tracks only. Lullaby is so sincere and charming it makes me want to cry, even if at first glance there’s nothing to really cry about. Yes, it’s simple, but when has simplicity ever stopped a song from being good?

6. Testify (Rage Against the Machine)

God how I love The Battle of Los Angeles. This song is an absolute beauty, both in terms of being innovative with its music and giving you food for thought. As I’ve said before, I’ll bite at anything genuine or passionate, so you can imagine how much authentic happiness songs like Testify bring me.

7. Firestarter (The Prodigy)

Another band I was introduced to by my dad. I’ve been listening to The Prodigy quite a bit this past month because I missed a chance to go their concert in August, so really it’s no surprise that one of their songs ends up on here. Firestarter is mind-numbing, but in the best way possible; just like most of their music, this song carries the kind of energy you can’t find with any other artist. It’s gorgeous.

this is amazing GIVE THIS GUY A MIC RIGHT NOW

Kinda crazy how this was filmed 37 years ago and this is still exactly what we’re going through, except it’s so much worse now. I don’t want to be a downer, there’s still a lot of great music being made out there for sure, it’s just that it sometimes feels like all I hear is heavily processed, formulaic songwriting that makes me either irritated or pessimistic. Haven’t seen anyone else articulate what I’ve been feeling lately so clearly, so have this.

Songs of the Week (1)

1. Bodies (Sex Pistols)

Really got into Sex Pistols this week, can’t get this song out of my head. Questionable messaging aside, this song is brilliant. I rarely find myself able to separate the music from the lyrics, so being able to enjoy this so much is a big deal for me. Indescribable energy.

2. Whale & Wasp (Alice in Chains)

The Jar of Flies EP is a goldmine that just never stops giving. I don’t know what Jerry Cantrell did to make his guitar sound like an actual whale, but this song really takes me places. Breathtakingly beautiful.

3. Disintegration (The Cure)

One of the best songs off this album. I’ve wanted to make a separate post on Disintegration (the album, not the song) for a long time now, just because it’s one of those rare records that I consider to be genuinely flawless. Cried to this song multiple times, I just don’t know how to put into words what it makes me feel.

4. Estranged (Guns N Roses)

I feel like this is an obvious one but out of their entire discography, Estranged is definitely one of my favourites. Absolutely adore Slash’s solos in this one, especially the fact that at some point the guitar becomes a second voice on equal standing with Axl’s vocals. Heartbreaking. Could cry to this for hours, no joke.

5. Guerrilla Radio (Rage Against the Machine)

One of my favourites off of The Battle of Los Angeles. Had the whole album on repeat a lot recently, but this song especially is a godsend. There’s something so special about finding music that you can really call yours, that really fits you. Guerrilla Radio is definitely one of those for me.

6. Problems (Sex Pistols)

I don’t know what it is with me and Sex Pistols this week but I feel like Problems is another song that translates their energy best. It’s provocative and dirty, I’m absolutely in love with it. Anything sporting raw emotion or genuine sentiment is an instant yes for me.

7. Halloween in Heaven (Type O Negative)

The first Type O Negative song in my playlist ever, mostly because I never really liked them much if I’m being honest, but the female vocals somewhere around the middle of the song really won me over. I’ll check out some more stuff from Dead Again, we’ll see where it goes.

I think I’m gonna start a little rubric with ‘songs of the week’ or something along those lines. I’ve been loving some artists a lot lately and need an outlet to share my favourites.

So starting this week, every Sunday I’ll be making a little post with 7 of my most listened to songs of that week. Hopefully I won’t abandon it and maybe some people will even find new tracks they’ll like.

Idk if it’s a good idea but I guess we’ll see.

if it wasn’t obvious that I fucking love bassists yet, here are cliff burton and jason newsted because I believe they deserve so much more recognition than they get. even though I am admittedly not the biggest fan of metallica (I don’t hate them dw, their music and actions just aren’t always my thing), I can recognise the fucking powerhouses that both cliff and jason were as part of the band.

first of all, like half of the members wouldn’t know basic music theory and chord progressions if it wasn’t for cliff. if I’m not mistaken, he had to teach lars and james what sixteenth notes were. that was how bad things were. like this guy literally MADE metallica, they would legitimately be lost without him.

not to mention cliff’s fantastic work on bass and just insane abundance of musical talent. I personally consider him to be the best musician in metallica, period. rip cliff I fucking love you.

and jason newsted, despite receiving a less than warm welcome after joining the band, managed to build a reputation as one of metallica’s greatest live performers and the unarguable soul of the band. again, fucking love this dude, wish his potential wasn’t crushed and he was allowed to express creatively. what they did to his sound on justice is upsetting to this day.

love these guys.

I FUCKING LOVE CHI IN LIVE PERFORMANCES

credit to @bm2brad on tiktok

Wes Borland was such a blessing to Limp Bizkit. I’m not saying Fred Durst being such a character didn’t play a role in their success (I still absolutely despise him as a vocalist and lyricist though), but literally the only redeeming qualities about their music (at least to me) are Borland’s riffs and talent. The only reason Rollin or Break Stuff were such big hits was because he has the ability to play guitar in a way that makes you jump up from your seat and go insane.

All I’m saying is that there’s a reason Results May Vary sucked so bad.

Deftones albums, best to worst (my opinion):

1. Saturday Night Wrist

2. White Pony

3. Diamond Eyes

4. Around the Fur

5. Deftones

6. Koi No Yokan

7. Ohms

8. Adrenaline

9. Gore

I genuinely love all of them and hold a strong belief that Deftones never made a bad album, but some I am attached to less than others.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SLASH YOU SLUTTY MF!!!

I would talk about how amazing he is as a guitarist and his impact on music but that would take too long. Literally love him to death. That’s all I have to say.

OH MY GOOOD I ALMOST FORGOT HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF THE BEST DEBUTS OF ALL TIME!

Appetite for Destruction, released on July 21st 1987, is what I would personally consider a perfect debut for a band such as GNR. From the lifechanging opening of Welcome to the Jungle to the concluding chord of Rocket Queen, this album is EXACTLY what it wants to be: it’s mean, it’s dirty, it’s unpredictable, and it’s completely unapologetic. While I personally don’t think any of their other material is interesting enough to dissect, I find Appetite to be engaging enough to literally grab you by the balls and keep you listening, singing, dancing, screaming, and doing whatever else this monster of an album pushes you to do. While the musical side of this record is obviously quite primitive and doesn’t reach for any new or groundbreaking heights, it’s still effective as fuck (seriously though, try to put on It’s So Easy and stay in one place). The energy it brings is unlike any other, it’s so beautifully and uniquely messy that I struggle to find the words to describe how much I love it. I wish I had a vocabulary wide enough to explain what I find so bewitching about the 80s-LA-SexDrugsAndRockNRoll vibe it creates but oh well. Happy birthday/anniversary Appetite!!

FUCK YOU I WONT DO WHAT YOU TELL ME

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHI

Nobody knows how much I love this dude. It’s probably visible in my other posts but I genuinely believe that Chi Cheng is incredibly underrated in terms of his impact on Deftones’ music, especially in white pony and the self titled album. Somehow I get the impression that people usually perceive him as more of a nu metal-y, unsophisticated bassist when in reality his baselines are just gorgeous. He also brought something to Deftones that I can’t quite figure out; sometimes it literally feels like he was the soul of this band but hey I wasn’t there yk. AND HIS BACKING VOCALS LORDDD!!!! In a way it’s bittersweet to write this post, mainly because while death is always a touching subject, it’s especially tragic to be writing a happy birthday post about someone who will never celebrate a birthday again and hasn’t in 12 years (in reality it is more, of course).

Chi Cheng was such a bright presence in Deftones and in this world in general. Rest in peace Chi.

He is NEVER beating them gay allegations

DAMN this is a good album. Beautiful production, intense instrumentals, insightful lyrics, haunting vocals. Don’t know if this is their best album because I’m honestly not that into tool yet but I literally can’t stop listening to some of the songs on here, despite the uneasiness they bring. Such a great listen. Yeah, it’s not casual, but the effort of sitting down and trying to dissect the songs is so worth it omg.

Never got the hype for jagged little pill. Maybe im just from the wrong generation to understand the impact of this album or maybe im overlooking something, but is it really good enough to be considered a top 100 album? Yes, its fun, but i feel like there should be more to it for it to be considered impactful for music as a whole. Also how is it possible that the lyrics to this song are absolutely DIABOLICAL but still come across as superficial?

does he ever jump into the crowd normally or no

crying rn

Alice In Chains, Nutshell, MTV Unplugged, 1996

cuties

I think people underestimate the significance of Chi Cheng to Deftones. While I believe Chino’s lyrics are the perfect fit for their music and he’s an incredibly talented lyricist, let’s not forget that it was Chi that studied English, it was Chi that was a poet (if you haven’t looked into The Bamboo Parachute yet PLEASE DO it is so worth it). In other words, Deftones always had someone to fall back on if Chino couldn’t deliver (I’m not saying he ever couldn’t, but just the added security Im sure meant volumes), and the only reason Chino was the primary lyricist was because Chi believed he was amazing (lost the interview he said this in but you know what I mean). I really do believe the world lost an incredibly bright soul when Chi died.

I feel like for Slash lovers the november rain mv is the same thing as the I disappear mv for Kirk Hammett lovers

What did they put in their water in the 90s literally giggling and screaming rn

When Chino said “fuck with me” I really felt that ngl

Can we just collectively, once and for all, agree that this is the best album of the 90s. I’m sorry but it’s just genuinely perfect.

ALMOST FORGOT it was the 24th anniversary of White Pony yesterday as well. My second favourite album of all time and definitely the most well-produced Deftones album. A masterpiece that I’m sure I’ll continue to love deep into my adulthood. Also one of the sickest album covers to date, but that’s secondary.

HEYYY IT’S MY FAVOURITE AWKWARD GUY’S BIRTHDAY

Okay real talk rn though. As cringe and corny as it may sound, Deftones, and Chino in particular, were a literal saviour for me at some point. Again, I know that so many people say this on a daily basis, but I mean it when I say that these guys saved my life. I would not have survived had it not been for something I started to love this much, developed such a passion for. I fw Deftones on another level. Did 1.5 years ago and still do now.

In most interviews, Chino is described as an overly emotional guy. He’s a little weird (in a good way), sometimes awkward (specifically off-stage), and, especially at the beginning of his career, has some trouble explaining his line of thought or what it is he means when he says something. At least that’s the impression you get when you listen to him speak in an everyday setting. Needless to say, when I saw this dude talking so softly and with so much purpose and yet still getting lost in what point he wanted to get across, I was like “oh yeah that’s my guy.” He also made the best music that ever graced my ears, but that’s beside the point yk.

What I’m trying to say is that despite all of his faults, no matter how difficult other people find him to work with or how many questionable decisions he makes, I will always cite him as an inspiration or at the very least as someone that has made life significantly easier for me, letting me see a little of myself in someone whose talent and work I admire so much.

I know it seems like I just made a point of shitting all over Chino for no reason, but I swear that’s not true. Again, on a weird level, I relate to him and that makes his music mean even more to me. Thank you Chino for Deftones and thank you Chino for being such an amazing guy. Love him sm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHINO!!!!

CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE I DISAPPEAR MV BECAUSE KIRK LOOKS SO DELICIOUS THERE IM TIRED OF DENYING IT

I wanted to attach a picture but unfortunately the stills are horrendous :((

Favourite song atm. Literally can’t stop listening. There’s something so undeniably transcendent about it, and this isn’t even me trying to be fancy. I legitimately think of this as a masterpiece.

Before ever trying out their music, I read up a little on tool (by that I mean I saw 3 20-minute YouTube videos). I didn’t understand what could ever be so magical about a bunch of guys that release 1 album every 10 years or so and let themselves actively hate on their fans more than any other artist I’ve seen. I also interacted with the fanbase a little bit, and that wasn’t a piece of cake either (it’s a cult guys no joke). But after actually trying them out, I immediately understood why the members get away with so much more than should be allowed and why fans are willing to pay $10,000 for a piece of merch (actually no this number is still crazy to me). I legitimately think their music is worth it.

Despite being a little too heavy (not in the musical sense, more in the emotional sense) for daily listening, tool remains one of my favourite bands. Genuinely can’t think of a better song than parabola off the top of my head, it’s just that good.