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Rachel Unthank recommended Frost and Fire by The Watersons in Music (curated)

 
Frost and Fire by The Watersons
Frost and Fire by The Watersons
1965 | Folk, Pop
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This had a massive impact on the way my parents brought us up, especially my dad, who's a singer himself. Here were a family from the North digging into old songs and traditions, and it made Dad really interested in doing the same. He became a member of a longsword team โ€“ I know โ€“ and then he got into reviving Mummers' plays, including the only surviving Mummers' play including its own dance. Every Boxing Day, us kids would be dragged down to see it, Dad playing this character who would be killed and brought to life again [laughs]. So many of our rituals as a family were about similar things: carolling on the green, singing folk in the pub and having this real passion for the seasons. For me, revisiting tradition is very rooted in wanting to recognise social struggles, the situations of the working classes, and the pastoral. These songs aren't about looking backwards and inwards, but about learning about the realities of your culture and wanting to share it with others. I remembering going to a Swedish festival some time ago, being encouraged to share songs from where I was from, and realising then what a very powerful currency those songs were. They help you connect with other countries' forgotten stories and emotions โ€“ and actually, that's something that happened to me in Harare doing Africa Express as well. These Ethiopian women encouraging me to sing for them, and then watching their reactionsโ€ฆ it's very moving seeing people respond to these songs from different parts of the world. It makes you realise there's so much that connects us."

Source
  
Changeland (2019)
Changeland (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Drama
An outright blast - a revitalizing, unfiltered tonic through-and-through. Would pair perfectly with ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜š๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต ๐˜“๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ž๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜”๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜บ (2013) in elite-tier escapism pieces that so vividly believe in the curative power of getting away and living in the moment. Definitely one of the most depressing movies to watch during the COVID-19 pandemic in that it features some of the most beautiful location cinematography I've ever seen, a fucking *smashing* soundtrack + Patrick Stump score, and an absolutely infectious sense of healing and bliss delivered through an affable cast who fit spotlessly together. Reminded me a lot of something like ๐˜—๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ท๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ in the best way. Just people coming together and having a good time, impossible not to fall in love with - one of the ultimate hangout movies there ever was. Huge props to Seth Green, who this was an obvious passion project for. I can't lie and say that the story here is super compelling, it isn't really - it isn't bad by any means either, but it's effectively ๐˜Ž๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜š๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ for people who don't hate themselves (minus the towering quirk). But it's clear he feels for this material so deeply that it shows through bigtime in the final product. What could have been some cheapoid DTV shrug instead comes across as a full-bodied experience because of the chemistry onscreen and belief in the picture. And of course I'm just a sucker for late-career Macaulay Culkin, who in this gets blind drunk into a Thai boxing ring wearing a pair of his signature bunny ears. Oh and also Randy Orton gives an inspirational speech. I loved this film deeply.
  
His Boy to Cherish (Naughty or Nice Season Two)
His Boy to Cherish (Naughty or Nice Season Two)
Colette Davison | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
HIS BOY TO CHERISH is part of the Naughty or Nice Season Two series, and I am over the moon to announce Jayden gets his HEA!!!!

Oh, man! I fell for Jayden in Greeking Out and my heart hurt for him because the Daddy he got was definitely NOT one on the caring scale. And it was obvious from the very beginning that THAT is what Jayden not only wants but needs.

Bless him, you find out about Jayden's life and he's had it rough but he keeps up appearances and leaves his mask firmly in place as no one wants a grumpy boy. It is up to Ben to prove to him that he wants him no matter what, through joy and sadness, through pain and sorrow, as well as good times. And boy, does Ben step up to the mark!

This has a light Christmas theme, as in they first meet on Boxing Day and their courtship takes place over the Christmas period. Ben and Jayden instantly click but both have questions -- which is completely understandable!

I loved how Troy and Apollo were here but didn't take over the story. I really want Jude to have his own too. Yes, I'm greedy!

A warm and fuzzy story that is absolutely recommended by me. It is heartwarming and sincere and left me with a huge smile on my face. Loved it!

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 28, 2021
  
Wonderful Wonderful by The Killers
Wonderful Wonderful by The Killers
2017 | Alternative, Indie
Alternative rock band The Killers are back in business with their 5th studio album, Wonderful Wonderful. The lead single off this album, โ€œThe Man,โ€ was an instant hit with me. I remember thinking to myself when I first heard it on the radio, โ€œThis would make a great choice for an ESPN promo song during football season.โ€ Sure enough, once the 2017 NFL season was underway I heard the song playing during an episode of ESPNโ€™s Sunday NFL Countdown. Are those good instincts or what?
 
Anyways, going back to โ€œThe Man,โ€ if you havenโ€™t yet been struck by the contagion of the song you are missing out! The lyrics are so puffed up and arrogant, theyโ€™re simultaneously ridiculous and fun to listen to. Altogether, the songโ€™s fast-paced, high-energy style reminds me a lot of โ€œMoveโ€ by the band Saint Motel. It is the perfect song to listen to if and when you need to get pumped up for something.
 
Okay, enough about โ€œThe Man.โ€ The 9 other tracks on The Killersโ€™ latest album are all worth listening to as well. The second most energetic song on the album, โ€œRun For Cover,โ€ addresses domestic abuse; another track, โ€œRutโ€ focuses on the struggles of PTSD; โ€œTyson vs Douglasโ€ echoes the shock that lead vocalist Brandon Flowers felt after watching Mike Tyson get defeated for the first time in the memorable 1990 boxing match. The songs in this album are all so different from one another both message-wise and sound-wise, and thatโ€™s part of what makes Wonderful Wonderful one of the best albums The Killers have released. Fun fact: In one of the songs, โ€œSome Kind of Love,โ€ Flowers has his 3 sons doing backup vocals near the endโ€ฆhow cool is that?
  
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
1989 | Horror
5
5.0 (23 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Maybe I'm a little numb to this franchise being bad in anyway at this point, because I low key loved this. It's unencumbered nonsense, but dammit it's entertaining.
That title is misleading too. It should be called "Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason on a boat, and then fucking around in a Manhattan sewer tunnel" but I absolutely commend the makers for trying something different with a new location. Jason on a cruise ship is actually a pretty neat visual.
This franchise has always been campy (pun fully intended) but Part VIII does really dial it up. Everything is so painfully 80s and over the top that not even Jason feel intimidating, which is doubly as frustrating considering Kane Hodder is back for another turn.
On top of this, the series strays even further from the formula of having at least one likable protagonist, with every character here just being plain unmemorable (apart from the boxing dude, that guy deserves all the praise for taking Jason on with his bare hands).
To drive the final nails into the coffin, the gore is once again really toned down, the make up effects on Jason's unmasked face are atrociously bad (his face looks like a soggy and battered piece of toast) which is a real shame after how fucking dope he looks in Part VII, and finally and arguably most importantly, this is the only entry in the core series that isn't scored by Harry Manfredini, which is just heresy in my book.

Despite all this, I still find Part VIII weirdly entertaining and enjoyable. Its doesn't get boring and should be watched knowing what's about to unfold - a tongue in cheek, 80s as balls silly slasher that has at least two instances of a girl doing extended electric guitar solos - it's better than Part III, fight me.