#celestial creatures

[king-incarnadine]

Seeking Resplendence

[preraphaelitepaintings]

The Triumph of the Innocents

Artist: William Holman Hunt (British, 1827-1910)

Date: 1903

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Harvard Art Museum, Cambridge, MA, United States

Description

Hunt’s painting is the first of three versions of this unusual subject, which has its origins in the biblical narrative of the Flight into Egypt. When the final painting was exhibited, the artist provided an explanatory pamphlet. King Herod, threatened by the newborn “King of the Jews,” ordered the slaughter of all male infants in Bethlehem. Here the fleeing Holy Family is enveloped by “the embodied spirits of the martyred Innocents.” The infant directly below the Christ child displays his torn garment, a prefiguration of the wound in Christ’s side at the Crucifixion. “Airy globes” display Jewish dreams of the union of heaven and earth at the advent of the Messiah. In the largest bubble one can make out the sleeping figure of a patriarch with a “ladder or pathway up and down, which is traversed by the servants of God.”

[thestalkerbunny]

Hey look it's some Jesus fans.

[sadsexysag]

Wild Beasts - Boy King + Punk Drunk and Trembling EP + Singles [2016-2017]

[newmusickarl]

1. Last Night All My Dreams Came True – Wild Beasts

“These are blessed times that we’re living in, down here on earth all is forgiven…”

So here we are then my top album of 2018 and this year I’ll admit, the choice is quite a sentimental one. Across the 5+ years I have ran this countdown I have historically only ever included studio albums in the list, however here we are at the top spot and the selection, for the first time ever, is a live album – at number 1, it is Wild Beasts’ final ever release, Last Night All My Dreams Came True.

On the 17th February 2018, I was one of those fortunate to say goodbye to Wild Beasts, my favourite band for a long time, at their final ever show at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. The Kendal quartet majestically played through a 24-song set of tracks from across their impressive back catalogue, putting on one hell of a final performance, complete with confetti cannons, guitar solos and crowd singalongs. Although it ended on a sombre note with the Deep Throat Choir joining the band for an emotional finale of End Come Too Soon, the evening was a great celebration of Wild Beasts’ incredible music and decade long career.

That final Wild Beasts show was my personal musical highlight of 2018, and although there is no tangible record of that evening, there is Last Night All My Dreams Came True. A combination of both a greatest hits collection and a snapshot of their brilliant live show, Last Night All My Dreams Came True is the perfect testament to Wild Beasts’ creativity and sheer genius. From the contrasting vocal textures of Hayden and Tom, the distorted synths, the dreamy guitar riffs and the tongue-in-cheek lyricism, every element that made Wild Beasts so special is intricately captured across the album’s 13 tracks.

Although most of the tracks on Last Night All My Dreams Came True are documented as they were performed live at the end, there is one original moment on the record that provides the album’s undoubted highlight – The Devil’s Palace. The track is a beautiful re-imagining of the band’s first single, The Devil’s Crayon, and Palace, the closing track to their magnum opus, Present Tense. This mash up of sorts is presented as a stripped back, synth-driven ballad, with the rawness of the recording really allowing the duelling vocals between Hayden’s falsetto and Tom’s gravelly tones to shine. It’s a stunning moment and for me, one of the best tracks of 2018.

Ultimately there is no denying that Wild Beasts have been one of the most influential indie bands of the last decade, with their unique sound paving the way for the likes of Everything Everything and Two Door Cinema Club, amongst many others. Although they didn’t always get the credit they deserved during their career, I’m glad I was able to use this countdown to recognise their lasting impact on the British music scene one final time. So cheerio Wild Beasts, you will be sorely missed!

Best Tracks: The Devil’s Palace, Celestial Creatures, 2BU

[a-lovers-discourse]

“There are obvious signs if the whales are comfortable. It’s amazing to witness their conscious movements—to see their eye follow you as they move and put their pectoral fin down, to ensure they don't bump you as they pass." Jem Cresswell

Source: www.vimeo.com

[iwillbekingandyouwillbequeen]

[cryingatseaworld]