Songs Of The Week (2)

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 :((

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.

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.

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.

crying rn

Alice In Chains, Nutshell, MTV Unplugged, 1996

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.

He is NEVER beating them gay allegations

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.

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!!!!

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.