Shout out to the thread title for getting Nightmare Before Christmas stuck in my head! Also I think I'd probably be less depressed if I could resist maudlin ballads with the power of @Ana Raquel
Whoops! Missed @godspeed 's (10) commentary, somehow it ended up in my spreadsheet as if it belonged to our next elimination (hint – it's from the extras): "Phoebe Bridgers officially owns Halloween. ‘Always surprised by what I do for love / Some things I never expect’ are fantastic lyrics!".
I can agree with that part, lyrically it's gorgeous
Poppy injects new life into the metal pop genre and she's given pennies. Shame! I Disagree was the second taste from the third album of the same name, and picks up right where tracks from her previous two projects, such as Scary Mask, Play Destroy and X, left off. @BubblegumBoy (6.5) is a big fan of her previous album, for instance: "I’ve really tried to get into Poppy’s latest stuff but it wasn’t for me. Am I A Girl is one of the best pop albums ever though". Meanwhile, @R27 (5) tries to take a dig at her via one of our main artists: "This rate didn’t need a bargain bin Grimes".
Though at this point Poppy had had her heavy metal moments, it feels like this track is her first attempt at balancing her take with the pop hooks that were also essential from her beginnings, and the result is effective. Whereas other tracks in the album more abruptly transition from heavy to calm to an almost tiring degree, this stadium-ready chorus and verses that have her disagreeing with fame, her own persona, sex, and everything else with some Japanese sprinkled in between works organically, if I say so myself.
@Trouble in Paradise (6) has been diversifying his listening habits, but Poppy is not necessarily involved; at least not with this one: "Honestly, I’m here for more female fronted metal but the melody isn’t catching me". Wondering if the grungier/alternative take of her following album could be more your cup of tea?
The video is a hoot, and it follows the storyline of Poppy's internet persona rebelling against "them", the stubborn board of directives that presumably suffocates her character's artistic expression. The solution is, obviously, committing arson and about ten counts of first degree murder. She'll still rock a leather look while she's at it! Appropriately, the song was performed for a WWE NXT recap event, and actually, the song -or its instrumental- would make for excellent entrance music. She would eventually make an EP soundtrack, too. Below is also the performance for an April 2021 streamed concert, which Poppy named The Last Disagreement to send off the era.
It's Charli baby, once again. This time, it's one of the more introspective, vulnerable songs in the album. 7 years is the time that Charli and quarantine confidante Huck had been on and off, having a blossoming relationship, and as she puts it, it seemed like they were always circling back to each other in between dating other people. And since songs like February 2017 are likely written about this relationship, it's something that Charli has found inspiration for across different albums. Short, sweet, and I love how the vocal goes higher on her resgister for the last chorus. Unfortunately for this song, the pair did break up after 2020, yet how i'm feeling now and specifically moments like this one remain as a window to the positive, happy moments taken out from an uncertain time. Though I imagine Charli doesn't listen to this track anymore nowadays, it's a pretty sentiment.
@Trouble in Paradise (7.5) was adamant at first, but eventually came around: "Took a while to get going but that last minute or so is quite evocative". Right! Musically, though the last section is a highlight, I guess I can't unhear that the string hit from the beginning is super reminiscent of a meme song that I can't recall the name of? It's like a song from the mid 2010's with male vocals, and it has a similar orchestra hit-like; think the videos set to the piano hits from Vanessa Carlton's A Thousand Miles. Am I losing it and making a song up? ddd. Anyways-
Savior Complex is a bit more whimsical, with details in the production coming and going for a few moments at a time. This time the story in its lyrics reflects the heated arguments in a romance, the long car rides in silence, the lies. All presented in a way too beautiful for words, as is the opinion of @godspeed (9), who explains that : "It’s hard to write about the songs on Punisher because they’re perfect to me and I feel like there’s no use in doing so because the music already says it all. This is no exception. Simply outstanding".
Bridgers comes with an openness in lyrics such as the ones opening this post, and once again using skeletons as references, this time via the idiom "skeletons in the closet" and wanting to reciprocate in the honesty -sometimes quite blunt and coming with her slightly dark own sense of humor - that she's always given. This ties to her savior complex, which means she takes on relationships to try to fix people, but like the vampire that she compares the subject to, it's damaging and ultimately takes its toll on her. This all lands on deaf ears, @Ana Raquel 's (3), who talks sutff: "I................ guys I'm really trying. But this really is NOT for me. I only like a few parts of the melody". Yes for the Madonna shoutout! I can hear the Paradise (Not for Me) infuence indeed.
This time, I do need to take time to highlight the video, which boasts director sharing 87% of the musician's name, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, of Fleabag and Killing Eve fame, as well as starring Irish actor Paul Mescal, known for his roles in The Great Gatsby play and Hulu miniseries Normal People. The grayscale visual is memorable for the long-haired Chihuahua that co-stars and follows the protagonist everywhere. Ms. Dog represents the selfless love that tries to fix others who are worn down, or do harm, but from a more innocent place of a dog to its human. And I'm sorry, but the fact there's a scene where the dog is left alone in a car after the very Twitter-local drama of two days ago is just- Too great of a coincidence?
The musician pops up here and there as the women characters of the story, purposefully on the side and only for a few seconds at a time. She's a maid at the hotel, a farmer and a witness of Mescal's character running away. Which at times comes off comedic with the timing, but gets bleak when sitting down with the lyrics and even the livelier, Weyes Blood-like instrumentation can't mask the hurt of giving yourself up in a relationship at a great cost. In addition, have an official live performance of the song at the empty stadium like with other songs of Punisher before.
On yet another contemplative Punisher ballad, Phoebe gives one of the most defeated vocal performances of the album as she likens her unrequited efforts to demonstrate care and love in a relationship to a dog leaving prey at their human's doorstep, when the human doesn't need any of it; this theme on the first "hook" leads into the verse where, like @godspeed (9) comments: "Although I don’t think Moon Song is one the strongest tracks on Punisher, I believe it deserves a great score solely based on its final verse which is absolutely heartbreaking. Also, ‘We hate Tears In Heaven/But it's sad that his baby died’ will always make me scream internally each time I listen to this song". Yes that's the brand of Punisher humor for us. But besides that deadpan-delivery lyric, there is the fighting, irreconcilable differences and the dreams where the relationship is painted in a kinder light too, in order to paint a complete picture from these independent snapshots.
The instrumental is beefed up from the usual guitar and drums by reusing the droney sounds from Halloween, which feels like Moon's sister song and is the figurative top loaf of bread to the Chinese Satellite sandwich. As well as the distorted chords and the airy choir that comes at the last minute, after proclaiming the moon as a gift for another person. It's not quite as grandiose as some of the songs we've yet to see from the tracklist, but I still think it's a great bit from the album. @Ana Raquel (5), however, is not fazed: "It manages to be more atmospheric than the other tracks. But that's about it". At least it feels shorter than what the four and a half minutes runtime suggests?
Moon Song received no video, but did get performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where a NASA spacesuit-clad Bridgers delivered an emotional vocal that the song deserved, and it was made all the more beautiful by having he first half performed entirely as a violin solo, as it still keeps playing melodies throughout the rest of the track. I say this often, but under the right mood I'm certain that I would tear up listening to this version, because it's exquisite. Watch and listen below, I'm sure you will prefer it to the studio recording.
So Heavy I Fell through the Earth
Delete Forever
Violence
4ÆM
My Name is Dark
You'll miss me when I'm not around
We Appreciate Power
Dynasty
XS
STFU!
Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys)
Paradisin'
Love Me 4 Me
Bad Friend
Fuck This World (Interlude)
Who's Gonna Save U Now?
Tokyo Love Hotel
Snakeskin
forever
claws
detonate
enemy
i finally understand
party 4 u
anthems
visions
Garden Song
Kyoto
Punisher
Chinese Satellite
ICU
I Know the End
Los Angeles
The Steps
I Know Alone
Up from a Dream
Gasoline
3 AM
Don't Wanna
Another Try
I've Been Down
FUBT
Now I'm in It
Hallelujah
Summer Girl
People, I've been sad
Je disparais dans tes bras
Mountains (we met)
Nada
La vita nuova
The Aces - Daydream
beabadoobee - Worth It
Chappell Roan - Pink Pony Club
Charlotte OC - Freedom
Denai Moore - To the Brink
Empress Of - Give Me Another Chance
Fiona Apple - Shameika
Georgia - Never Let You Go
Hayley Williams - Simmer
Javiera Mena - Corazón Astral
Lido Pimienta - Eso Que Tú Haces
Purity Ring - stardew
Sevdaliza - Lamp Lady
Shura feat. Ivy Sole - elevator girl
Soccer Mommy - circle the drain
Steady Holiday - Tangerine
Tayla Parx - Dance Alone
Tei Shi - Die 4 Ur Love
Yerin Baek - Lovegame
Savior Complex is a bit more whimsical, with details in the production coming and going for a few moments at a time. This time the story in its lyrics reflects the heated arguments in a romance, the long car rides in silence, the lies. All presented in a way too beautiful for words, as is the opinion of @godspeed (9), who explains that : "It’s hard to write about the songs on Punisher because they’re perfect to me and I feel like there’s no use in doing so because the music already says it all. This is no exception. Simply outstanding".
Bridgers comes with an openness in lyrics such as the ones opening this post, and once again using skeletons as references, this time via the idiom "skeletons in the closet" and wanting to reciprocate in the honesty -sometimes quite blunt and coming with her slightly dark own sense of humor - that she's always given. This ties to her savior complex, which means she takes on relationships to try to fix people, but like the vampire that she compares the subject to, it's damaging and ultimately takes its toll on her. This all lands on deaf ears, @Ana Raquel 's (3), who talks sutff: "I................ guys I'm really trying. But this really is NOT for me. I only like a few parts of the melody". Yes for the Madonna shoutout! I can hear the Paradise (Not for Me) infuence indeed.
This time, I do need to take time to highlight the video, which boasts director sharing 87% of the musician's name, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, of Fleabag and Killing Eve fame, as well as starring Irish actor Paul Mescal, known for his roles in The Great Gatsby play and Hulu miniseries Normal People. The grayscale visual is memorable for the long-haired Chihuahua that co-stars and follows the protagonist everywhere. Ms. Dog represents the selfless love that tries to fix others who are worn down, or do harm, but from a more innocent place of a dog to its human. And I'm sorry, but the fact there's a scene where the dog is left alone in a car after the very Twitter-local drama of two days ago is just- Too great of a coincidence?
The musician pops up here and there as the women characters of the story, purposefully on the side and only for a few seconds at a time. She's a maid at the hotel, a farmer and a witness of Mescal's character running away. Which at times comes off comedic with the timing, but gets bleak when sitting down with the lyrics and even the livelier, Weyes Blood-like instrumentation can't mask the hurt of giving yourself up in a relationship at a great cost. In addition, have an official live performance of the song at the empty stadium like with other songs of Punisher before.
On yet another contemplative Punisher ballad, Phoebe gives one of the most defeated vocal performances of the album as she likens her unrequited efforts to demonstrate care and love in a relationship to a dog leaving prey at their human's doorstep, when the human doesn't need any of it; this theme on the first "hook" leads into the verse where, like @godspeed (9) comments: "Although I don’t think Moon Song is one the strongest tracks on Punisher, I believe it deserves a great score solely based on its final verse which is absolutely heartbreaking. Also, ‘We hate Tears In Heaven/But it's sad that his baby died’ will always make me scream internally each time I listen to this song". Yes that's the brand of Punisher humor for us. But besides that deadpan-delivery lyric, there is the fighting, irreconcilable differences and the dreams where the relationship is painted in a kinder light too, in order to paint a complete picture from these independent snapshots.
The instrumental is beefed up from the usual guitar and drums by reusing the droney sounds from Halloween, which feels like Moon's sister song and is the figurative top loaf of bread to the Chinese Satellite sandwich. As well as the distorted chords and the airy choir that comes at the last minute, after proclaiming the moon as a gift for another person. It's not quite as grandiose as some of the songs we've yet to see from the tracklist, but I still think it's a great bit from the album. @Ana Raquel (5), however, is not fazed: "It manages to be more atmospheric than the other tracks. But that's about it". At least it feels shorter than what the four and a half minutes runtime suggests?
Moon Song received no video, but did get performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where a NASA spacesuit-clad Bridgers delivered an emotional vocal that the song deserved, and it was made all the more beautiful by having he first half performed entirely as a violin solo, as it still keeps playing melodies throughout the rest of the track. I say this often, but under the right mood I'm certain that I would tear up listening to this version, because it's exquisite. Watch and listen below, I'm sure you will prefer it to the studio recording.
This is wrong. Moon song out before the top 70?! We better not lose anymore Phoebe before we cut half of rina and charli!! Also grimes could leave this rate at any point and I’d be happy.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
