Constantine (Spoilers for Episodes 1 and 2)

As some of you might know, I am terrible about keeping up with TV shows.  I DVR them and then watch them like a year later.  I am still a season behind on Teen Wolf.  And I'm pretty sure there's some new My Cat From Hell hanging out on the DVR.  So for me to be on episode 2 of Constantine is a pretty impressive feat.  I might even finish getting caught up this week (if our cable and internet stop having outages).

Well, of course with this being a show about John Constantine, I have some thoughts.  Opinions, really.  Strong opinions.  But I'm only two episodes in so I don't have an overwhelming amount to say yet.

Firstly, why are they pronouncing his name that way?  I can understand the Americans bollocksing it up... but shouldn't John himself be pronouncing it with the long "i"?  That struck me as really weird.

The first episode was solid.  They must have blown a fortune in special fx.  It was downright movie quality.  I don't expect the future episodes to keep up with that (for one, they'll most likely concentrate on just one monster-of-the-week anyway), but just knowing that they'll be using quality special fx when they do use them and not some hokey shit is a relief.

The story was pretty good.  I would have liked to know a little more about Jasper but there wasn't much room with all the introductory stuff going on.  Liv was a good character.  I actually liked her a bit, but I'm also insanely glad they went with Zed instead.  Having a naive kid as a sidekick would have completely changed the tone of the show.  Not that you couldn't make a good show out of that... but that show wouldn't be Hellblazer.  You could see it towards the end middle/end of the episode how a show like that would have gone... the wide-eyed ingenue constantly interrupting the flow in order to marvel at something, be skeptical, have questions, get kidnapped, etc.  The focus of the show would have shifted to her experiences because she's "relatable" or some nonsense.  It would have been dragged down into "family friendly" land and never recover.  Yeah, no thanks.  I want to see the world through John's eyes and get in his head.  I don't need another character to bridge some non-existent gap between us.  So good on them for bringing in an adult like Zed instead.

Random thought: "Zed" is really just the letter "Z" in the British alphabet.  So now that our lovely Mary Martin is an American, shouldn't she be calling herself "Z" or "Zee" instead?  Or why not make her a British ex-pat if they wanted to keep the name?  It just doesn't make much sense.

But back to episode 1, my only complaints were some pacing issues, acting issues, the way a particular line was said.  Minor quibbles really for a brand new show where everything and everyone is still gelling. Also, thank god Chas lived.  I, and every other Hellblazer reader, would have flipped their shit if one of the most important (and long lived) people in John's life had gotten killed off in the first episode.  And he's an actual adult this time and not Shia LeBouf!

Episode two was a bit different.  There was some awkward teasing of a future romance between John and Zed, which felt like the writers just crammed it into the script after the fact.  Which would make sense if they had originally written this script with the Liv character in mind.  There were a few parts that felt like they were meant for Liv.  Mostly I really like John and Zed together.  I think they work well as partners.  But I'm not really feeling them as romantic partners yet.  I think perhaps the way it was scripted was just too hamfisted.  I know in the comics Zed was instantly attracted to John... but like there are ways to portray an instant attraction believably and this just wasn't one of them.  It wasn't just a lack of chemistry, but  was full of complete and total awkwardness.  But platonically, I think they're fabulous together.

There were moments at the coal mine where the cinematography made me think of MacGyver.  It reminded me that this was a weekly tv show in the strongest way possible.  But other than those few moments, I remained immersed in the fantasy world.  Still, it gave me the uncomfortable worry that the show might become just another generic supernatural show, albeit one with a Constantine flavor, rather than a TV adaptation of Hellblazer.

The Coblynau (Knockers, really) were a really great pick.  Interesting lore that has ties to Pennsylvania and the UK so it makes perfect sense that John would know all about them and that they'd be in an American mine.  Kudos to whoever researched that one.  This part of the plot was thoroughly enjoyable.

The storyline about the Romani woman... not so much.

I don't understand what a Romani woman would have to do with (primarily) Welsh spirits.  Why not make her Welsh?  Maybe some sort of Celtic druid?  I mean... something to tie her to one of the cultures these things actually come from.

And then the line: "There's nothing blacker than gypsy magic."

FOR FUCK'S SAKE, REALLY?!

Look, I haven't read every Hellblazer book out there yet.  I've only read a little bit with Zed, and that was the newer stuff where she's older.  But I think I've read enough TPB's to say that John Constantine is NOT racist.  This line made me cringe so fucking hard.  I can't even.

AND... not to distract from the racism of the line, but it's also terribly inaccurate drivel conjured up by old timey racists and xenophobes and perpetuated by modern media.  John Constantine, Mr. anti-capitalist anarcho-punk chaos magician himself, would not actually believe such bullshit.  One of the things I appreciate about the comic book is that the (magic) tech is usually well-researched and doesn't just play into cliches about what non-practitioners believe thanks to wildly inaccurate TV shows, movies, and books.  John should be the one correcting these stereotypes and inaccuracies, not perpetuating them.  This was just painful.

And to MAKE IT WORSE... the show heavily hinted that the Romani wife was abused by her husband.  It was never shown on screen, just implied by the way she cringed and shrunk in on herself as the husband demanded food and used his body posture to intimidate her.  And more than once it was stated that there was a blackness or evil rising up that was twisting things.  John knew that she was being twisted and manipulated by this evil... that it was using her rage at her abuser to provoke her towards evil magic.  And I'm pretty sure he got enough hints during the bathroom scene to know she had been duped and abused by this asshole.  Which is why the ending where he lets her abuser's spirit drag her down into the earth is SO FUCKING DISTURBING.

Look, even if she was for sure a lost cause and needed to be dealt with "permanently", you should have picked a different fucking way.  This ending was so stomach-turning.  It's a complete insult to anyone who's been the victim of domestic violence. 

Epiphany does not approve.

I was going to end this on a positive note, but now I'm quite upset again and don't remember what it was.

I'm not giving up on the show yet... I have about 5 more episodes DVR'd I believe.  I'm hoping there was enough outrage that it knocked some sense into the writers.  I guess we'll see.  I just really hope they the powers-that-be don't give up on John Constantine/Hellblazer as a franchise.  Because I absolutely believe that the real John Constantine from Hellblazer would be a hit with viewers... but if this show doesn't pan out, it'll be because of racism, sexism, and bad writing; not anything canon from the comics (because the so-called "offensive" shit that happened in the comics wouldn't make it to network TV anyway).

Anyway, it's time to watch another episode.  Let's see how this one goes.


Edit - My friend asked me how I would have resolved the episode.  That's a fair question.  And easy to answer.  There was a ton of completely innocent miners (and other not-as-innocent people from the mining company) that she killed with her magic.  John could have called upon them as a group to take their vengeance.  Same basic plot, but nothing to make me want to rage-quit.  There was absolutely no need to call upon the abusive husband specifically. 

As my friend pointed out, John fucks up a lot in the comics.  Buuuutttt... his fuck ups get called out or bite him on the ass.  There is always a sense that the comic writers are aware that he did a bad thing.  But there was absolutely no sense of that in this episode.  I feel like the tv show writers were not expecting this to be offensive at all.  (This isn't an HBO show, after all).  I will gladly eat my words if the writers punish him for it in the next episode or two (ie the ones that were filmed before fan feedback).  But I wouldn't count on it.  I'm 99.999999% sure this episode was a one-off, monster-of-the-week sort of thing and that the writers were completely oblivious to the sexism, misogyny, and racism they conveyed, not just in John's actions but in the depiction of the wife character herself.

Ya know, I think it says something rather negative about our society that we can have a storyline approved where the main character facilitates the revenge of an abusive husband upon his battered wife with no negative consequences or judgment, but everyone freaks out at the thought of him smoking (though that appears to be a non-issue now) or being bisexual (not holding my breath for this to get addressed).

Punk

I need to make a playlist of punk music to cry to.  It will consist of Against Me!, The Menzingers, The Ataris, Hot Water Music, and Jawbreaker.

Cat TV

My cats are so lazy.  Other people's cats go crazy when you bust out the laser pointer.  It's actually entertaining.  Mine get smart to it and just lay down, while lazily putting out a paw like Daria.

But don't even think about stopping.  If my arm gets tired and I decide to put the toy away before they're ready, the cats will immediately start meowing and pawing at my chair.  Spoiled brats.


Emmy is still meowing at me as I type this, and jumping on and off my chair.  Ugh...

Today was National Coffee Day so I actually got dressed and went through the drive-thru.  Not that there's anything wrong with the coffee I make... but I've gotten quite bored with it since I've basically been a shut-in for the past two weeks (due to the bronchitis).  Plus, I was originally attempting to go to the grocery store, but I just didn't have the energy for that much.  I hate going even when I'm well.

I almost called the doctor last week, but then I got into a fight with mom and said to hell with it.  Not that I needed an excuse... I've been trying to avoid all things medical until I get my insurance sorted out.  This whole healthcare.gov thing is the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever dealt with.  I've been dealing with this shit for 2 months now, getting the runaround, just to have my state finally make a determination and volley me back at the federal government.  Seriously?  WTF.  I've dealt with gallstones, an infected toe, bronchitis, a major allergic reaction all over my body, and another unrelated rash all while waiting for my goddamn insurance.  If I had anything serious, I would be dead by now.

Sick and tired... and cats

Emmy has learned that she can get my attention by jumping on and off my chair.  I am doomed.

Seriously, I've been fighting the worst case of bronchitis for like 2 weeks now, but the cats do not care.  They want soft food and playtime.  Lots and lots of fucking playtime.  Emmy will wear out Estel pretty quickly, then turn to me when he takes a nap.  (Lazy ass cat.)  I don't know what she expects me to do when I'm this sick, but she will bug me for hours at a time.  Maybe I should just pretend to sleep like Estel?

Seriously though, she's starting to get destructive.  She'll put her claws all over my chair.  Anything she can do to get my attention.  But she's not like this when I'm not around.  She literally only does this to get my attention.  The same way Estel paws at Tyler's dresser when he wants my attention, or taps me on the arm.  I'm going to end up with a destroyed computer chair unless I can figure out a way to wear her out without wearing myself out.  Why isn't Estel shouldering more of the burden, damn it?  Also, when am I finally going to feel well again?  :(

Halloween Cat: our newest fluffy edition to the family

Ember

A little over a month ago (Thursday August 7th, to be precise), we found a fluffy ball of fur hiding under my car along with her twin sister and Yellow Cat. We had just got home from target with random groceries, including Snickerdoodle mix, and were stepping outside for more bags when we noticed the cats.  Yellow cat and the twin immediately ran out from under the car, but Emmy stayed behind.  The other cats peeked their heads around the fence one last time as if to encourage her to follow them, but she seemed glued to the tired she was hiding behind.  We went back into the house for a ribbon and some kitten food, which allowed us to coax her from her hiding spot.  She loooooooves ribbons.  I nicknamed her Snickerdoodle for the time being.

After playing with her for most of the evening, we left some food and water for her and then went back inside.  But my heart was tugging.  I hated leaving the poor baby out there.  I posted on facebook to see if any of my friends would like to adopt her and I got a bite.  That was all the excuse I needed to bring her in the house.  I woke up the boyfriend and told him to fill up the extra litter box while I lured her with some food and ribbons.  She was inside in two seconds, and that was pretty much it.  My friend called me the next day and said her husband wouldn't let her have the kitten (allergies), so I pretty much considered Ember to be ours.  We kept her in the mudroom until she got a clean bill of health from the vet, but we did open the door for hours at a time to let the cats get used to each other.  They took to each other quickly.  It was less than a week and our new concern was keeping them away from each other until Emmy was tested.

Now we have two happy cats.  Estel loves having a friend to play with, and they're teaching each other things.  Emmy taught Estel how to make toys slide across the kitchen floor.  And Estel taught Emmy to fear plastic bags... OK, so you can't win 'em all.

Emmy loves to play so much that she exhausts both me and Estel.  She won't sit on my lap yet, but she'll happily lay on the floor and let me pet her until my hand is about to fall off.  Near as we can figure, she's about a year old now.  She grew a little after we first found her so I'd place her as a Virgo or Libra.  My mom thinks she looks like a little owl. :3

Descent into Madness - or the story of becoming a "cat person"

It's hard to believe I used to be a dog person.

When I was little I desperately wanted a dog, but my mother was against having pets.  She had always gotten stuck taking care of her sister's pets as a child... a bird and a bunny - both of which bit and pooped a lot.  So you can imagine her experience was hardly a pleasant one.

We managed to compromise on a turtle.  I was still very young at the time, and given that my mom is a neurotic, she pretty much insisted on taking care of the poor thing because she was afraid I'd get salmonella or something.  It didn't help that my turtle's food was a dry powder that had to be boiled with water to form a gelatin-like substance.  I think it was mostly made of shrimp, which is kind of odd for a box turtle.  But she'd turn her nose up at fruits and veggies.  My baby was a carnivore.

So yeah... as you can imagine, my neurotic mother wouldn't let me near the stove.  And well, she has a history of just taking things out of my hands and doing it herself because I'm not meeting some obscure measure of perfection.  But that didn't stop her from bitching about the fact that she had to take care of my turtle.  Whose fault was that, mom?  Really?

Anyway, as much as I loved my turtle, I really craved a pet that could run around outside and play with me.  Being an only child sucked at times.  Don't get me wrong - I loved the peace and quiet, I loved not having my toys and clothes destroyed by some careless sibling, I loved that it meant my parents had more money to spend on me... but there were times when I was lonely and wanted a playmate.  I'm pretty sure if I had had a dog I would have never wished for a sibling ever again.

As I got older... and grouchier, and more cynical, and introverted... I became less of a dog person.  Suddenly their boundless energy and neediness began to wear me down rather than excite me for an adventure.  Their constant need to lick my face became nerve-wracking as I reached the age when my face was covered in make-up to hide the zits I had popped.  Their intrusiveness and constant need for attention made me shrink away to some dark corner with a book.  And of course, my mom's paranoia that every dog was a vicious killer just waiting to attack began to play havoc with my anxiety.

Which is actually ironic since I have not been bitten by a dog, but I was bitten by a cat as a child.  That's probably one of the big reasons I wasn't too keen on cats when I was little.  I did love my grandma's neighbor's cat, but she very rarely came inside and would only let you get a few pets in before she'd return to whatever important cat things she had on her agenda that afternoon.  It was actually the cat of another of my grandma's neighbors that attacked me.  We had stepped inside this woman's kitchen because my mother was speaking to her about 'adult things' or whatever.  I didn't even know the lady had a cat until that bastard sunk his teeth and claws into the back of my ankle.  The damn thing was deranged (if only Jackson Galaxy had been around back then!).  I was literally standing in the middle of the kitchen, not touching anything, and it came racing up the steps and latched onto me.  That experience soured me against cats for over a decade.

So it's kind of odd, even to me, that by the time I hit college I was desperate for a cat.  I can't even pinpoint when the change happened... it just sort of did.  Next thing ya know, I'm obsessed with getting a cat... but I still couldn't have one yet.  I had to go home on breaks, and my mom absolutely refused to let a cat in her home even temporarily.  It wasn't until my boyfriend and I moved in together that I finally got my wish.  He just happened to have acquired a cat right before he met me.  Now that's what I call icing on the coincidence cake!  And as you all know, I have since become obsessed with my little furball (though trust me, I was just as bad about my turtle and goldfish too.  Instagram just hadn't been invented yet).  Consider me a cat person for life!

macaron

I'd really like to try a macaron.  They look so delicious... and pretty.  But I admit trepidation.  I fear I won't like them.  And it's a strange fear... because why am I so emotionally invested in the taste of this item matching the prettiness?  So often I find that the prettiest, most perfect looking confections taste too sugary or gross.  So I often avoid the all too perfect fondant confections and artisinal baked goods.  But sometimes the 'ugly' ones taste worst.

I've had whoopie pies before - the American version of the macaron.  They were huge, bloated monstrosities larger than my hand, stuffed with cream that was more sugary than creamy.  I felt like I was eating a lead weight.  The denseness that lay heavy in my stomach was not worth the mediocre taste.  By comparison, macarons look so delicate and airy.  I just want it to be true.

We used to have a French bakery in town but they never had macarons.  I imagine if they were still in business, they would have capitalized on the trend by now... and consequently, I would have had a true macaron in my stomach already.  But as it stands, I really don't know of any place nearby that would make them, and make them properly.  Just another one of the joys of living in Mid-Western suburbia.

This post has been brought to you by too much coffee and a lack of macarons.

OotD: Bleach

Just a pic spam post today.  Not much really happened.  Ran a few errands, went to dinner with the parents, and got coffee with friends.  Le boyfriend did buy two pairs of replacement sunglasses today.  Hopefully these last longer than his last pair!

 If you have some time, give me some love on my Lookbook.  ;)

OotD: Cosmic Love

I think I've found my new favorite piece of clothing!  The Galaxy Purple Swimsuit from Black Milk Clothing is absolute perfection.  I don't think I've ever had a onepiece bathing suit fit so perfectly.  And it actually covers my ass!

Seriously - if there's one thing I can't stand about bathing suits, it's when they cut across my ass in a funny place and make me look like I have 4 butt-cheeks.  I haaaaaaaate high-cut suits.  But this was PERFECT.  Next time I wear it I'll have to get some pics of the back.

Estel was determined to get in the picture, so I decided to troll him a little.

I actually started the day off with a pink and purple plaid shirt thrown over it, but the weather dropped as the day went on.  Plus, I like it better with the black crop hoodie anyway.

day

night

 Here's what it looks like without anything covering it:

Some of you may have noticed that I've been wearing the La Lune Pendant pretty consistently lately.  I'm a little obsessed with it.  Granted, I love all the jewelry I got from Night Venus, but this piece has become like an extension of me.  It's been a while since I've had a connection to a piece of jewelry like this.  It's quite lovely.

It was a pretty great day as well.  We had some delicious vegan food from a local cafe for lunch.  My black bean and guacamole burger was soooooo good!  I wish I had gotten two.  We puttered around the house for a while after that... at least until it was time to meet our friends at IHOP.  That was the first time in a long time that we had gotten that many of us together all at once.  It was a blast!

Jeanette brought us some lovely souvenirs from her trip to Columbus.  I believe the one I chose was especially poignant given what's currently going on in my life.

We ended the night by all going to my other friends' house for coffee.  They were all watching a DVD of Frozen by the time we got there.  Of course, since their son had already seen it a bazillion consecutive times for the past couple days, it was really the adults who were invested in the movie.  I have to say I really enjoyed it.  And Olaf was a lot less annoying than I assumed he'd be given his character design.  I was bracing myself for a Jar-Jar Binks level of stupidity.  Thank god it did not deliver, haha.  But really, the movie was super cute.  I really liked the characters and loved the whole sisterly love theme.  I was a little disappointed by the other songs though.  They weren't quite on the level of "Let it go" but they were still nice.  And the animation was gorgeous!  I'd like to watch it again sometime without a hyper child trying to teach me ABCs.  :P



Outfit Details

Galaxy Purple Swimsuit by Black Milk Clothing
La Lune Pendant by Night Venus
Black Gemstone Heart Necklace by Night Venus
Black Knit Crop Hoodie by Heavy Red
Black Skinny Jeans by Forever 21
Leather Jacket by Lucky Brand

Hard Candy

The boyfriend and I watched Hard Candy last night.  He had found a Cracked article about how "if you like this movie, here is the better alternative."  This was supposed to be the better alternative to Juno.  We both felt really let down by this assessment.  It was the kind of movie that left you hollow at the end, with barely enough care to utter "meh".  Plain and simple, it was nothing more than "revenge porn".  But even then, it didn't have quite the right feel.  I told my boyfriend that it felt like a White Knight wrote this and was living vicariously through the teenage girl character.  In fact, as I was brushing my teeth last night I made him look up the writer and see if it was a dude.  It totally was.  White Knight wank - I nailed it.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Insta-Privacy?

So someone on tumblr shared a photo from instagram just now.  Normally when I see things like this, I click the link for the instagram account and like the photo there as a courtesy.  I did so, but the heart wouldn't stay red.  I clicked the user name so I could see some other photos and - surprise! - it was a private account.  Um, isn't that a bit awkward?  I mean, obviously she's OK with sharing the photo since it's her account and all... but a lot of instagram users are connected via their facebook and use their real names, which they might not have on their tumblr.  I wonder if everyone realizes that by sharing the photo, it allows others to track it back to your instagram (even if they can't see beyond the "this user is private" page).  It just seems a bit weird to me.

OotD: Roadside Apothecary

I <3 my new messenger bag

I've been pretty excited about this outfit.  I bought it when the weather was still cold and have been dying for a warm enough day to break it out.  ('Warm enough' meaning that I could pair it with my brown platform sandals and bare legs.)  Unfortunately, the weather remains oppressively cold... so I improvised!  I took advantage of the high 40s yesterday and comprised by wearing my Black Milk warm grey leggings and my favorite army green jacket from dELiA*s.  Damn did it feel good to wear something besides a bulky sweater!

Part of the inspiration for this outfit is that I've been messing around with jewelry-making again thanks to a cosplay project I'm undertaking with my friends.  One of my first test pieces was this delightful ring:

I've decided that whatever materials I have leftover from our Sailor Scout costumes will go towards making cosplay and other jewelry for my poor, neglected Etsy shop.  I recommend you bookmark Roadside Apothecary because I should have some pieces up there pretty soon, along with perhaps some occult related things. 

Yesterday was a pretty exciting day, which seems kind of novel after such a brutal, depressing winter.  Le boyfriend and I went to Olive Garden as we had a gift card and I have been having a major craving for tiramisu.  I don't think I've eaten that fast in a while.  I pretty much devoured my meal.  It was glorious.

le boyfriend looking pensive and handsome

Afterward, we went to the craft store for some more supplies, but for some goddamn reason they closed at 4pm that day only.  What the hell?  March 15th is not a real holiday, people.  Ugh.  Well, it looks like I'll be making another trip out this week.

Pic spam below:

These shorts were unintentionally the best purchase I made this month.  I didn't even bother trying them on in the store... I just grabbed my size and threw them on the checkout counter with my fingers crossed.  But... it turns out they have a reversible pattern!!!  One side is paint splotches with a skulls and roses waistband, and the other is skulls and roses with a denim waistband!   I loooooooooove them!

meow :3

Cooking with Estel

I made something the other night, and you may want to make it too.  So I'm sharing the "recipe."

First, start out with a whole bunch of leftover quinoa because you're an idiot who can't figure out serving sizes.  Make sure to pronounce it "quin-no-ah" like the godless heathen you are.  Dump the quinoa in a bowel.

You will now add things to this quinoa... because things make quinoa even tastier.

The first thing is an orange bell pepper.  Chop it into little pieces and try not to eat most of it before you put it in the quinoa.  It is to be eaten with the quinoa.  This is very important.

Next, chop up some baby carrots.  Why baby carrots?  Because you can almost always guarantee that I have a half-eaten bag in my fridge.

After that you will chop up an avocado because avocados are perfect.  Interpret that as you will.

Lastly, you will chop up some fresh cilantro.

Throw everything in a bowl.  Add salt, pepper, and ginger to taste.  Just eyeball that shit... don't worry, I trust you.

Mix it up and put it in your mouth.

Why it took forever to get my package

You could have just left it at the Warrendale facility.

Seriously... this was supposed to be 2 day shipping and look at the clusterfuck that transpired instead.  I was supposed to have this on Monday according to the original notice and didn't get it until Wednesday instead because some idiot sent my package an hour in the opposite direction and let it waste a day on a delivery truck.  Get your shit together, USPS!  And you wonder why you're losing money to UPS and Fed-ex.  :sigh:

Anyway, I finally have my Heavy Red sweaters and they are lovely!  Some day when I'm finally over the plague (aka sinus infection that keeps coming back) I will post pictures of my purchases.

Coffee and Music

I'm awake.  Goddamnit.  I got maybe 5 hours of sleep last night and I don't know why.  Or maybe I should blame le boyfriend for not being all cuddly and warm in the bed since he lacks to blame my absence when he wakes up early.  Meh.

Fastforward a couple hours later after the internet distracts me...

Still feeling tired and half awake.  I've been avoiding coffee so far because I'm not too keen on it when I'm sick.  Although I did kind of binge on it last night at Waffle House.  But who can resist WaHo coffee?

It was nice having the gang together again, even if I did feel crummy and couldn't breathe.  There was a lot to catch up on in each others' lives.  A lot of crazy stuff that I unfortunately can't speak about here, but there were good things too.  And of course, enjoying everyone's company was the best part.

perf

Megan is awesome because she let me vent to her even though she needed to vent too.  Mutual venting is a good thing.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

And a bajillion hours later...

I feel like I'm lifting the veil on the writing process today.  Rarely do I post something around the time I actually began writing it.  I get distracted, lose interest, get hungry, or get writer's block.  But I am quite determined to finish this post in the day I started it at the very least.  The beginning would seem disingenuous if I didn't.

I definitely wanted to talk about some music today.  I'm really excited about 3 bands right now.  So for those of you that like darker music, whether shoegazey or industrial or dancey, this is for you!

Alex's (of Thou Shalt Not) newest endeavor, Seeming, is coming out with an album in less than 2 weeks!  As usual, Alex pairs epic vocals with dramatic yet infinitely danceable music while utilizing elements of industrial or classical sound to complement the ambiance on various tracks, all while maintaining thoughtful, intelligent lyrics.  It's beautiful in its variety and timelessness.



You should pre-order this album right now!!!  [link]

I already have my copy on order of course.  ;)  And speaking of new music, I just downloaded everything I could by Black City Lights.  Their song "Offering" was recently featured on Welcome to Nightvale's weather segment.  Normally, I could give or take most of the music they feature.  It's pleasant, but not really my normal taste.  But this just came out of left field and smacked me like a freight train.

Gorgeous shoegazey dark wave with touches of electronica, witch house, and dream pop.  I want to melt into the melancholy.  It's beautiful and perfect and immersive.



Listening to Black City Lights got le boyfriend thinking about another band we had discovered earlier this winter - Winter Severity Index.

A little less shoegazy and a bit more postpunk/gothy influence, Winter Severity Index hails from Italy which makes me love them all the more.  They've captured the sound of the late 80s/early 90s without feeling anachronistic.  They're more of a natural progression from the darkwave/postpunk bands of that era... well, at least the way I would have had things progress if I was in charge of the state of music during the 90s.  They only have an EP on their bandcamp right now but it is AMAZING.  I can't wait for more!






Bonus:  I friggin' love this song