W BRUNCH FIRE

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#65)

The Sex EP — The Dare

NOT GOING TO LIE I THOUGHT THIS DEBUT PROJECT WAS GOING TO BE LONGER. BUT EVEN WITH Girls I THOUGHT I HEARD THE SONG BEFORE? AND THAT THE DARE HAD BEEN AROUND FOR LONGER? NOT SURE. ANYWAYS THIS EP IS FOUR SONGS LONG AND WE'VE HAD TWO OF THE SONGS AS SINGLES FOR A WHILE. AS A WHOLE IT'S FUN FRESH AND SEXY AND GETS ME HYPED. I THINK MY FAVORITE SONG IS STILL Girls BUT HONESTLY I DON'T KNOW WHICH OF THE OTHER THREE SONGS I LIKE THE MOST TO TAKE SECOND PLACE. Bloodwork IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SONG COMPARED TO THE OTHER THREE BUT IT'S SO GOOD IN ITS OWN RIGHT. I HOPE THE DARE KEEPS PUTTING OUT BANGERS.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#64)

Calico — Ryan Beatty

I'M RELISTENING TO THIS ALBUM RIGHT NOW BUT I DO REMEMBER LISTENING TO IT THE FRIDAY IT CAME OUT. IT'S SUCH A SWEET AND GENTLE AND MATURE ALBUM. BOY IN JEANS WAS SUCH A CATCHY ALBUM BUT THIS IS LIKE A REFINED TASTEFUL LAIDBACK APPROACH. THE LEAD SINGLE Ribbons CREPT UP ON ME. THE FIRST TIME I LISTENED TO IT I WAS JUST LIKE WHATEVER BUT EVERY TIME I RELISTEN TO IT IT JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER. I GUESS THERE'S SOMETHING FRANK OCEAN-ESQUE TO THIS ALBUM. BUT ANYWAYS COMPARISON IS THE THEIF OF JOY. THIS ALBUM IS REALLY GOOD.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#63)

PORTALS — Melanie Martinez

I LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM ON A WALK WITH KIRA TO GET MILK TEA AFTER WE HAD TAKEN SOME SHROOM CHOCOLATE BUT IT DIDN'T END UP HITTING AND NEITHER DID THIS ALBUM. MY FAVORITE SONGS ARE DEATH, VOID, AND TUNNEL VISION. THEN IT WENT DOWNHILL FOR ME. BUT TUNNEL VISION IS BY FAR MY FAV. IT IS SUCH A GOOD SONG. KIRA AND I HAVE BEEN REWATCHING/RELISTENING TO K-12 AS WELL AND THOSE SONGS ARE A LOT MORE CATCHY AND MEMORABLE BUT HER LYRICS COULD ALWAYS BE BETTER I FEEL. ANYWAYS TUNNEL VISION IS SO GOOD AND THE LYRICS ARE NORMAL. THOUGHT THE CHERRY WOULD BE SWEETER THAN THE PIE!

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#62)

A Little Disaster — Pearly Drops

WHEN I LISTENED TO PEARLY DROP'S FIRST ALBUM I DID SO WHILE PLAYING KINGDOM RUSH THE WHOLE TIME SO I CANNOT HELP BUT ASSOCIATE KINGDOM RUSH WITH PEARLY DROP BECAUSE CALL FOR HELP WAS LITERALLY THE GAMEPLAY SOUNDTRACK THE WHOLE TIME. THIS SOPHOMORE ALBUM WAS PRETTY SIMILAR TO THEIR DEBUT. I DON'T REMEMBER BEING PARTICULARLY DRAWN TO ANY SINGLE SONG TO BE HONEST. BUT I DID LIKE IT.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#61)

The Smiths — The Smiths

I LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM BECAUSE IKYM SENT ME TWO SONGS FROM THIS ALBUM. I REALIZED TOO LATE THAT I HAD IT ON SHUFFLE. OH WELL. EVERY SONG SOUNDED PRETTY SIMILAR TO ME AND THERE REALLY WASN'T ANY STAND OUT TRACK. THIS IS ALSO LIKE THE THIRD TIME I'VE TRIED TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING BUT I FEEL LIKE I LOWKEY KEEP GETTING BORED. THE MUSIC IS GOOD THOUGH. I LIKED IT. I FEEL LIKE ITS THE KIND OF MUSIC I SHOULD HAVE ON IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE I DO SOME CHORES OR JUST FOR VIBES WHILE I'M HANGING OUT WITH PEOPLE. NOT SURE. MAYBE I'M BEING UNFAIR. I THINK I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO ANOTHER THE SMITHS ALBUM.

[zonewaylee]

BOOK REVIEW (#3)

Ten Planets: Stories — Yuri Herrera

SO I READ THIS OVER THE WEEKEND BECAUSE I TOLD MYSELF THAT I WOULD. KYLIE AND I GOT LIBRARY CARDS TOGETHER LAST WEEK ON A WHIM AND I CHECKED THIS BOOK OUT FROM THE NEW BOOKS SECTION BECAUSE I LIKE SHORT STORIES AND OVERALL THIS BOOK IS NOT LONG AT ALL AT ABOUT 100 PAGES. I THINK WHILE I DID GET INTO IT. I STILL AM LEFT WANTING MORE FROM THE BOOK. I JUST FEEL LIKE MOST OF THE METAPHORS/ALLUSIONS TO SOCIETY ARE NOT THAT SUBTLE. AND YET AT THE SAME TIME IT FEELS TO ME THAT HERRERA IS VAGUE WITH THE TAKEAWAY FOR EACH STORY. OVERALL I THINK THIS IS A 6/10.

SPOILERS: I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BY HOW SHORT ALL THE STORIES WERE TO BE HONEST. THE ONES THAT ARE MOST SALIENT IN MY MIND STILL ARE THE ONES THAT CONNECTED INTO EACH OTHER. FOR EXAMPLE, THE THREE STORIES ABOUT THE EARTH BEING FLAT. FIRST STORY: THERE ARE DRAGONS AT THE END OF THE WORLD. SECOND STORY: THE DRAGONS ARE ACTUALLY PEOPLE. THIRD STORY: THE EARTH IS A WAFER FOR THE MOUTH OF GOD EXCEPT THERE IS NO MOUTH AND THERE IS NO GOD AND THERE IS NO WAFER AND THERE ARE NO DRAGONS. I JUST DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO FEEL ABOUT IT ALL. SIMILARLY FOR THE STORY ABOUT PEOPLE CHANGING INTO ANIMALS AND HOW LIKE IF YOU WERE HIGHER IN THE COMPANY YOU WOULD CHANGE INTO ANIMALS HIGHER ON THE FOOD CHAIN BUT IN THE END THIS LOWLY WORKER GOES AND KILLS THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP. IDK. THESE STORIES WERE FUN AND EASY TO READ. I'M JUST NOT SURE WHAT TO TAKE AWAY. THE STORY WITH THE SENTIENT HOUSE. WHAT'S THE MORAL? I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT SIMILAR THINGS TOO WITH OBJECT ORIENTED ONTOLOGY. I THINK THAT'S MY THING WITH THESE SCI-FI MAGICAL REALISM SHORT STORIES. THE BLADE HAS TO BE SHARP AND PIERCING. NO MORE VAGUE STUFF.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#60)

Softic — Soft Blade

SOME HOT GUY I SEE ON TIKTOK AND TWITTER WAS POSTING VIDEOS WITH SOFT BLADE SONGS. SO I WENT TO GIVE IT A LISTEN. THIS ALBUM WAS SURPRISINGLY GOOD. USUALLY WITH MORE LOWKEY MUSIC I JUST END UP GETTING A LITTLE BORED BUT THANK GOD THERE'S VOCALS ON THIS PROJECT. MY FAVORITE SONG WAS Ne Strashno ON MY FIRST LISTEN. I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO AND LISTEN TO EVERY SINGLE ALBUM BY SOFT BLADE NOW.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#59)

STAGES — Njomza

NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE LAST ONE OF THESE ALBUMS BUT IT FEELS FULL CIRCLE. LIKE THIS IS THE LAST ONE. THIS ONE HAS ALL THE STAGES. IDK. EITHER WAY MY FAVORITE SONG ON THIS PROJECT WAS THE FIRST Emotional. THE SINGLE Clown IS GOOD TOO BUT NOT AS GOOD. THE OTHER SINGLE WITH LOUIS THE CHILD DID NOT DO IT FOR ME. BUT THE FIRST SONG. YES.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#58)

2 — 2hollis

SIMILAR TO SLATER, THE MOMENT I DISCOVERED 2HOLLIS I WENT AND LISTENED TO THEIR ENTIRE DISCOGRAPHY AND KEPT UP EVER SINCE. THIS ALBUM DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I JUST LOVE THEIR SOUND AND 2HOLLIS KEEPS IT INTERESTING. THE SINGLE FORFEIT WAS SO GOOD. FAVORITE SONG ON IT RIGHT NOW IS GOD. fame runner IS A GOOD SONG TOO. I WILL RELISTEN BECAUSE I'M SURE I CAN FIND ANOTHER SONG TO LOVE. EVERYONE GO LISTEN TO 2HOLLIS. I LOVE 2HOLLIS.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#57)

Beneath the Motel — Slater

SLATER HAS BEEN A FAV SINGLE I'VE DISCOVERED THEM. THIS IS THEIR NEWEST EP AND I REALLY LIKED THE SINGLE She Looked Just Like a Doll. OVERALL THOUGH I FELT LIKE THE SOUND ON THIS PROJECT IS A LOWKEY AND DARKER DEPARTURE FROM THE EARLIER SLATER SOUND. I THINK THE COVER ART CAPTURES THIS. ANYWAYS IT WAS CUTE AND I LIKED IT.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#56)

Spalarkle — felicita

I LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM BECAUSE ONE IT'S PC MUSIC AND THIS IS THE NEWEST DROP SO I'M ON IT YOU KNOW AND TWO BECAUSE CAROLINE POLACHEK IS ON THE LEAD SINGLE AND TITLE TRACK Spalarkle (Alys). I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO EXPECT GOING INTO THIS. I LIKED THE SINGLE AND IT WAS GRABBING MY ATTENTION. FAVORITE SONGS ON THIS PROJECT ARE STILL Spalarkle (Alys) BUT ALSO Beast AND Riff Raff. I WANTED TO REALLY LIKE THE SONG WITH KERO KERO BONITO BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY HIT FOR ME. EITHER WAY THIS ALBUM WAS A JOURNEY THERE'S LIKE SO MUCH GOING ON BUT IT STILL IS LIKE LOWKEY COHESIVE.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#55)

LIMBO — Njomza

I'VE BEEN WITH NJOMZA EVER SINCE HER FIRST ALBUM SAD FOR YOU. AND GIRL SHE LOVES THESE HEADSHOT ALBUM COVERS FOR SURE. I GUESS THIS IS THE THIRD PROJECT IN HER GROUP OF FOUR SO FAR. I WONDER IF SHE WILL CONTINUE. EITHER WAY I LISTENED TO THIS IN FULL WAY AFTER IT WAS RELEASED. SAD FOR YOU AND VACATION ARE BOTH SEARED INTO MY MIND. BUT THIS ONE FELT A LITTLE FORGETTABLE. I THINK I'VE JUST MOVED ON FROM WHERE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL LISTENING TO HER MUSIC. AND FOR SOME REASON THIS IS LABELED AS A SINGLE ON SPOTIFY WHICH IS WHY I THINK I MISSED IT FOR A WHILE AND DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT WAS A WHOLE EP.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#54)

That! Feels Good! — Jessie Ware

THIS ALBUM WAS FINE. I FELT LIKE IT WASN'T AS GOOD AS WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE BUT EITHER WAY I ENJOYED IT. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO REALLY GET INTO Pearls AS A SINGLE. SOMETHING ABOUT THE PRODUCTION JUST IRKED ME A LITTLE. I THINK THAT FEELING KIND OF CARRIED OVER TO THE ENTIRE ALBUM. IT FEELS A LITTLE BIT FORGETTABLE. WHEREAS SONGS FROM WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE LIKE Spotlight ARE JUST ON ANOTHER LEVEL. BUT JESSIE WARE IS ALWAYS SO FUN TO LISTEN TO AND THIS ALBUM WAS NO EXCEPTION. IT FELT GOOD.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#53)

CBD Reiki Moonbeam — Neggy Gemmy

I'VE BEEN AWARE OF NEGGY GEMMY FOR A WHILE. FKA NEGATIVE GEMINI. MOSTLY BECAUSE OF GEORGE CLANTON. ANYWAYS AT FIRST WHEN I SAW THIS RELEASE I THOUGHT FOR SOME REASON THAT IT WAS A DELUXE ALBUM BECAUSE THE SINGLES OFF THIS RECORD HAVE BEEN OUT FOR A WHILE. I EVEN SAW NEGGY GEMMY IN CONCERT. SHE WAS SO CUTE AND WAS FANTASTIC. WHILE SHE WAS SINGING Beep Beep, SHE HOPPED OFF THE STAGE AND USED MY SHOULDER BECAUSE I WAS STANDING IN THE FRONT. SO YEAH. NEGGY GEMMY AND I HAVE MADE PHYSICAL CONTACT BEFORE AND SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHO I AM. AT THAT CONCERT SHE ALSO SANG Twisted BEFORE IT WAS EVEN OUT. WHAT A GOOD SONG. THIS WHOLE ALBUM LOWKEY SURPRISED ME. IT WAS A LOVELY LISTEN. GO NEGGY GEMMY!

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#52)

Nation — Nation

THIS IS THE OTHER NATION I WAS REFERENCING IN MY PREVIOUS ALBUM REVIEW. FOR SOME REASON I FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MANY SONGS ON SPOTIFY. SO MAYBE THEY HAVE SOME OLD SONGS ON LIKE BANDCAMP OR SOMETHING. I THINK I SAW A COMMENT ON THEIR RECENT YOUTUBE MUSIC VIDEO THAT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT BEING A FAN SINCE 2019 SO I'M PROBABLY NOT INSANE. I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THIS DEBUT(?) ALBUM FROM THEM SINCE I'VE BEEN LIKING THE SINGLES THEY'VE RELEASED ON SPOTIFY PRIOR. FAV SONG ON THIS PROJECT IS DEFINITELY Nation Feeling. SUCH A BANGER. ANYWAYS. NEW SINGLE JUST CAME OUT AND EXCITED TO SEE THEIR NEXT PROJECT.

[zonewaylee]

ALBUM REVIEW (#51)

Free Me — Nation

OKAY SO I'M LOOKING BACK AT THIS ALBUM AND I'M GETTING CONFUSED. I THOUGHT THIS ALBUM WAS BY ANOTHER ARTIST THAT'S ALSO CALLED NATION BUT ON SPOTIFY THEY ARE SEPARATE. I'M NOT SO SURE. HONESTLY, I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THIS EP. SO I'LL PROBABLY RELISTEN TO IT. IT'S SHORT ANYWAYS.

[zonewaylee]

BOOK REVIEW (#2)

Severance — Ling Ma

I READ SEVERANCE IN FULL ON MAY 9, 2023. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY MONTHS IT TOOK ME TO READ MY SECOND BOOK OF THE YEAR. OOPS. I READ THIS ONE ON THE PLANE AGAIN. IT TOOK MY 3 HOURS TO FINISH.

I'VE BEEN TRYONG TO READ SEVERANCE FOR A WHILE AND THE FURTHEST I MADE IT LAST TIME WAS CHAPTER 8 I THINK. BUT NOW I'VE FINALLY FINISHED IT. I WAS SURPRISED BY HOW EASY I FOUND IT TO BE ACTUALLY. THE LANGUAGE MA USES WAS SO STRAIGHTFORWARD. THIS TIME AROUND, I ALSO FOUND MYSELF RELATING TO THE MAIN CHARACTER MORE. I GUESS I HAVE GROWN IN THE PAST YEAR. ESPECIALLY HER LOVE LIFE OH MY GOD. I WAS LIKE THIS IS SUCH A MOOD. AND I FELT LIKE I GOT IT. BEING A GIRL IN THE CITY. HAVING PRIVILEGES BUT KIND OF SQUANDERING THEM. WANTING TO DO SOMETHING BUT OFFICE LIFE GETTING YOU DOWN. YEAH ALL THIS NAIVETY AND STUFF. I'VE BEEN FEELING IT. DIDN'T DIG SUPER DEEP INTO ANYTHING. BUT IT WAS SWEET. THE ENDING WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME. OVERALL I'D SAY THIS WAS A 7/10.

SPOILERS: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ENDING FIRST. I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT THE TAKEAWAY? I THINK I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE. I FEEL LIKE THE BOOK'S PLOT WASN'T PARTICULARLY SURPRISING BUT IT WAS STILL FUN TO WATCH THE JOURNEY UNFOLD. WE KNEW FROM THE START THE SURVIVORS WEREN'T ALL GOOD PEOPLE FOR SURE. ESPECIALLY NOT THE HEAD BOSS HIMSELF. SO NO WONDER THEY LITERALLY LOCKED CANDANCE UP AND SHE HAD TO RUN AWAY. I THINK PART OF IT IS THAT THE ILLNESS IS NEVER FULLY EXPLAINED. WHY DID HE SUDDENLY GET IT? WILL CANDANCE CATCH IT SOON TOO AND BECOME FEVERED? WILL THE BABY EVER BE BORN? I GUESS IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER ANYMORE.

THE SCENES WITH CANDANCE'S MOM WERE EQUALLY PUZZLING. BC WHERE TF DID THAT COME FROM? I FEEL LIKE WHILE CANDANCE'S ANGER WAS JUSTIFIED AND FELT GOOD AND RIGHT AS A WAY TO END THE NOVEL, IT ALSO KIND OF FELT LIKE IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE? WAS SHE USING THE IMAGE OF HER MOM TO SELF-THERAPIZE? IT WAS LIKE ANGEL ON ONE SHOLDER, DEVIL ON THE OTHER SITUATION WHERE SHE WAS TALKING TO HERSELF IN HER LITTLE MINIATURE HELL. MAYBE MA JUST DIDN'T EMPHASIZE JUST HOW INSANE CANDANCE WAS GOING IN THE FACILITY. EITHER WAY. ONE DAY I'M GOING TO LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY. AND I'M GOING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE BOY DOWNSTAIRS AND I'M GOING TO THROW A SHARK FIN SOUP PARTY AND IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT. THE BEST PART OF ALL IT IS THAT I'M STILL YOUNG AND ONLY TWENTY AND IN AN YEAR I'LL BE A LITTLE MORE JADED BUT I HOPE NOT TOO JADED. THIS BOOK JUST REMINDED ME THAT I ALWAYS WANT TO GROW UP FASTER AND I WANT TO BE MATURE AND I WANT TO BE RESPECTED AND I WANT TO BE LOOKED UP TO BY OTHERS AND I THINK THE ONLY WAY I CAN DO THAT IS IF I ACT OLDER APPEAR OLDER BE OLDER BUT I AM SO YOUNG AND JOYOUS AND WONDERFUL AND PEOPLE DO LOOK UP TO ME LIKE IN MY SPOKEN WORD GROUP I AM AN ELDER EVEN THOUGH I AM ALSO YOUNG. IT'S BOTH. HEHEHE.