The Plist of Plentitude (and Legends)

Oops, I did not in fact miss November music!

 I've been putting this one off because I wanted to listen to it a number of times first. But I offer unto you - at the very negative of a last minute - some November tunes!

So, first off:Yes! Yes! I - a fairly outspoken proponent of creative animation efforts - finally made it to Arcane after a few years of vaguely meaning to but not being sure Allan was old enough to watch it and not having a ton of time outside of that.

Putatively telling the origin stories of two League of Legends characters, Arcane starts medium and gets sprawling. 

Season one is a bit wild, but fairly self-contained compared to the hallucinogenic trip of season two. Finale is a bit perplexing and fairly rushed, but... somehow that feels like it matters less and less after some time reflecting on the entire series! Overall, a superlative animated steam punk sci fi League of Legends spin off experience!

 First and foremost, the animation is really fantastic. The style can also require a little getting used to, but it is unique, dynamic, gorgeous and creative. And it varies to evoke different moods and moments, often quite drastically. All good things in my book. 

 Then let's add in the soundtrack. It's a different approach from Kpop Demon Hunters, in which the songs were an integral element of the story itself. Mostly. There are a few times where the songs are playing withing the Arcane world, but usually not. More often the song choices are a complement to the animation in story craft. A beautiful mix of graphic and auditory sound to elaborate and nuance the emotional storytelling. 

And they are bangers in their own right. 

Which brings us to November! Of course, there's more to it than just Arcane all the time. We also watched Violet Evergarden, a throat grippingly sweet and sad as fuck story about an ex child soldier learning about emotions by becoming an auto memory doll (kind of a secretary/letter writer) in a sort of steampunk early twentieth century country. And of course, I can't miss some of my other artists of the half-year. 

 But it is gonna have a heavy influence both in vibe, overall theme, and direct soundtrack borrowing!

So come on to the land of legends, and lemme play ya some tunes!

Welcome to the Playground - Bea Miller. The opening episode song that introduces us to the Undercity. The series took a while to warm up for me, even though the animation definitely intrigued from the beginning. There was just enough uncanny valley to make me feel either strongly icked by it or strongly into it, and I actually think that's awesome - I want a strong reaction to art styles. And, turns out, it grew on me. Anyways, the Under City scene grabbed me, mostly because this is a fabulous song. 

So many shades of Siouxsie and the Banshees. And I say that with complete love and oh my god take me back to the Baltimore club goth night with my old college roommates! It's delicious. 

Hot Blooded - The New Constellations. Another little time warp to an indistinct somewhere that I can't quite put a finger on. The New Constellations are a duo from Portland but I can't articulate where I know this song from. It makes me think of Community, but it's not featured on that soundtrack, so who knows!

Expiration Dating - Madelline. Yep, she's back! With all her mental health disorders and hopefully a good purse full of psych meds. From what I hear about Gen Z and dating (also the post-divorce women who are my age seem to be saying similar things - I guess there's some research on online dating where most women are all interested in the same 20% of men in the dating pool? I might have totally made that up), this sounds about accurate. 

If I die alone, would it be all that bad
To live in a mansion with all of my cats?
I'm sick and I'm tired of wasting my time
Don't tell me that I have a shelf-life

Personally, if I should find myself spouseless by some series of tragic events, I want a castle with a bunch of crows. Ravens would be cool as well, butI like the alliteration with crows and castles, and who doesn't want to be a crazy crow lady?

It's one of those "sing along at the top of your lungs" kinda deals. Hammy and delightful!

Dirty Little Animals - BONES, UK. Another Arcane feature. Similar in vibe to Playground, as you'd somewhat expect as we return to The Undercity several years after the first episodes. This is where shit gets real, yo! (Ok, shit got pretty real in the episode where half the cast died and the two sisters were separated, but it gets realer and a lot more evocative at this point).

Slide, shake your bones out if you wanna ride

Throw your head back, make you feel alive

The kind of bad that make you feel good

God, the kind of wrong that make you feel right

The little death that makes you feel alive

The kind of shouldn't that mean that you should

I feel like y'all better do as the lady suggests? 

Ain't No Devil - Andrea Wasse. Bluesy dark country vibe seems to be a flavor I'm drawn to this November. It has a driving rhythm that gives me noms and a good moral: ain't no devil gonna be where we go, gonna bathe in the water and save all our souls! What's not to like? 

Guns for Hire - Woodkid. Yep, Arcane again! This is from episode six, and it'll break your heart. Without giving a ton of spoilers from hereout, all of the Under City characters have experienced a ton of trauma and one of the main characters has a lot of mental health strugles that have been exacerbated by a complex loving and sort of toxic adopted father-daughter connection and assuming her sister is dead (spoiler alert: she's not and she's looking for her). Things get complex when she finds out about her sister. Things were already complex for other reasons. Setting off a flare in the hopes of finding your sis rounds up a roiling and intense episode. 

Kiss your perfect day goodbye
Because the world is on fire
Tuck your innocence goodnight
You sold your friends like guns for hire
Go play with your blocks
And now you'll pay when these walls come tumbling down
Oh, they're tumbling down

The music gives me chills. 

Too Risky - Arcane. More incidental music from the same episode. 

Bitter Broken Love - Amelie Farren. I adore Amelie Farren. She has a great run of quirky folk songs about all manner of dark, twisted and folksy topics. My overall favorite is probably Lemonade though the Your Presence is one that just wormed into my hyperfocused ear for about three months last year and annoying I suddenly can't even hum it in my head (but I imagine it would come back very quickly if I played a bar or two... oh oh oh there it is)! Ah well! She has this sweet and sour voice that drawls through musical notes in a delicious way. And her music is never simple or straightforward, which I enjoy. 

Sticking with a theme "Lemonade, like moving on, is bittersweet"

"Silver spoon inside my mouth, feeling up my gums. Don't hate me for my helplessness when the times comes"

Her new album came out in October and I realized once again that unless I'm in a serious hyperfocus, I can't really just listen to a full album these days. The music all starts to bleed into itself and I can't tell songs apart. Which is funny, because back in the day that was about the only way to listen and I would just bleed an album dry driving around in my car for hours to listen. BUT  then again... I really did prefer movie and television soundtracks (still do as you might have noticed), probably because I do enjoy some well-orchestrated diversity and contrast. So these songs will probably gradually work their way into my awareness as Spotify offers one at a time at random!

Our Love - Jasmine Sullivan. Yep, Arcane again! This is from the closing scene of episode two. But, yes, different vibe, no? But straight up, it's just a sweet song. 

Te Fuiste - Raul Paz. Sweet in a sad way kinda song! ¿Por qué te fuiste? Bro doesn't know. And he's sad. And feeling feels. With a pretty guitar and a nice voice. Immediately I want to rumba. And I want rumba in a dusty Cuban bar with a nice drink and a rose in my hair! I think my first encounter with Raul Paz was his Besame Mucho during my ballroom days when learning rumba so it immediately brings me there. His El Beso and 25 Anos have been in my collection for years, but this one was a nice surprise.

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Fuel to Fire - Agnes Obel. In the infinite world of genres, this is described as chamber pop. Which is accurate. Agnes Obel obviously has classical training and a beautiful operatic voice. And a beautiful combo of strings and piano with darker slightly folk tones. 

Sucker - Marcus King. Played under a montage in the early second season. Guitar starts us off with just a hint of flamenco followed by Marcus Kings grainy bluesier voice that really brings the South Carolina out. It has slight vibes of Hoozier, but I think I like King's voice a little more. There's a slightly similar hook to Imagine Dragon's opening theme song, but more my vibe. 

Drinking With Cupid -Voila - Voila. I have waffled back and forth on this one for a few months. I don't like the kind of gritty feedback raspy thing they do with his voice. It irritates, but if I sing along loudly, it doesn't matter as much! A far more bitter take on heartbreak than Therapy. The main singer goes through it, and by it I mean many many bottles of strong liquor and a few joints from what I can tell. I have no idea why his ex might have wanted to leave him!

But it's all about screaming along with the chorus with Voila

And I've been drinking with Cupid
Thinking how you've been, thinking how you've been, oh
How can I be so stupid?
If I didn't lose it, if I didn't lose it, woah

I've been spinning the bottle
Finding the bottom, finding the bottom, oh
I've been drinking with Cupid
Thinking of you, babe, thinking of you, babe, oh

Dee-dum-dum-dum, dee-dee-dum-dum-doo-ooh, ooh

You have to sing it shouty and it's fun!

Ma Meillure Ennemie. Arcane, but technically in an alternate Arcane universe, so a little different! No, can't explain. It's complicated. But it's a good song and a deeply touching moment. It's an excellent musical moment to focus on duality is all I can say. In french. 

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais (I love you I hate you I love you I hate you)

The Voice in My Head - Evan Call. I mentioned Violet Evergarden. While less explosively innovative than Arcane, it is an exquisitely beautiful, thoughtful anime that starts soft and starts to press a nice heavy stiletto into your heart until you're a giant sobbing mess by the end. I think the last five or six episodes left me a sniffle puddle, albeit not in a despondent way. Just, very beautiful and very delicate addressing the sadness and beauty of a world in which loss is inevitable, and we are all burning with the scars of the unspeakable trauma of living through it all. 

Kaos - Mogarrad. We were robbed on this one! Kaos was a brilliant modern take on the greek myths (an a heavy ass swipe at politics and religion in general), with Jeff Golblum rocking the Zeussitude. Scathing and hilarious, while also just being appealing overall. Alas, it was cancelled after one season, despite clearly leading into the second. It was very popular with the people who saw it, but Netflix just needed ratings that are hard to come by with a modern take on greek mythology, I guess. Wish they'd given them an extra couple of episodes to wrap it up, but it stands on its own as well. 

This is a remix of a soundtrack bit I listened to many many times a year or so back. Because remixes suit my need for familiarity AND my need for novelty!

Open Your Eyes - Arcane. In the same alternate universe Arcane, another one that'll make you cry if you know. I want to talk about this episode (season 2, episode 7). There are parts that don't make logistical sense, but it's just such a perfect emotional wham bam of a moment. One of my favorite episodes and two really banger songs to boot. A theme of What Could Have Been persists... hold on to that one. 

kitchen light - Josie Edwards. Poetic ode to "bad decisions" in a breathy feminine voice to a bit of a folky poppy feel. I'm down. 

Oh you come crumblin' down in the kitchen light
I left a whisper on your tongue like a Pontiac
Left me chokin' on the dust as I ponder that
Funny feelin' I've been dealin' with the aftermath
You come crumblin' down in the kitchen light

Ball and Chain - Ella Red. Immediately ready to cha-cha. And/or have an ill advised totally deranged and not fully sober makeout session with somebody immediately regrettable. Hard to say until it happens. Everyone's praying for their shackles. Casually bedazzling the ball and chain? Sounds like a party to me! Ella Red is the "Gen Z Pop Princess" who performed the deliciously horny I Like You Best. I think she's having a bit of a day today though. Or she read too many Russian novels too quickly. Nothing brings more suffering to mankind than freedom and all.

Stay on the Edge - Shune. Pretty and breathy kind of long song that overuses the lyric "shadow" but makes it work. Kind of continuing with the slightly unhinged women theme that seems to be emerging in the half of this playlist (and most of my lists really). 

The song can go an earnestly goth kind of way that doesn't totally make sense and is tempting to cringe at. But then honestly, it still hits a mood and when I listen to it, I feel this very particular something. More and more as I listen to it over time.

Stay on the edge
Breathe with me slow
Shadow and lightning
Built to glow
The world can break
The stars can fall
But loving you defies it all

This is one of those that grew on me significantly over time. It captures something. There's a roiling, yearning, guilty feeling about this love that just feels juicy and about as blood stained as every vow between the singer and her paramour.

Shune is an Italian Electronic Music Producer from what I can tell. Italians really nailing this house stuff. I'm sure I'll check out more of his stuff presently. 

Ocean Sounds - Amelie Farren. A fairly romantic song for Ms. AF. I think. Mostly. Nobody's dying or hating anyone so basically sweet as candy! I'd take it favorably if somebody sent me this song with only a slight raise to the eyebrow!

Keep me captive by your side
Let me linger, forceful bride
You're the martyr, I'm the sin
Hold me hostage, let me in
I'm the preacher of your practice
Wake me up, your scarlet actress
Bury me beneath the hills, your harlot starlet cashing pills

There's some anxiety and/or rejection "don't let me go, say it ain't so" but I'm willing to accept this you know just... um... vulnerability? Anxious attachment?  Touches of borderline? Or just poetic license? "I can't leave, I'm heeled and pale, bruise me, blame me, want me, miss me, buy, me drown me, keep me, ditch me, damn me, drug me, haunt me, steal me, heal me, hurt me, force me, feel me, feel me, feel me..." 

Sounds very innocent and wholesome! Pretty sure! No, listen to the melody. It does. I swear!

Boys Beware - Mad Tsai. Your favorite Tik Tok pop boi back in action singing about a particularly irresistible player who will absolutely play with some hearts and then move on the next somebody. Fun with slight shades of Britney. Just good pop. I would West Coast Swing to it. "That boy might be the worst, but damn he looks fine. He makes the devil wet his bed at nighttime."

Stare Mesto - The Trouble Notes. The Trouble notes are a folk trio with some mad strings skills and a lot of personality. Stare Mesto is the Old Town Square in Prague (I've been there! It's cool!)

Beautiful virtuouso strings and some good old fashioned electric guitar provide a really driving and fucking catchy instrumental piece. 

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is - Ella Red. Somebody has finished up her existential crisis (and her shackles are fully bedazzled) and would like to take the next damned step already. That this hasn't been used as the intro to The Ultimatum yet is a bit sad. 

Moon - Austin Giorgio. Really beautiful entry from our generally horny veins-of-gasoline Austin Giorgio. A fight has happened, times are tough, but damn he's committed and they're going to work through this shit. 

'Cause I want you
Wishin' I would be enough, 'cause I don't wanna lose
Wakin' up and knowing that we'd still choose (We'd still choose)
To see another moon (Another moon)
And I don't wanna give up
Just because we're on our darkest hour, and it's real tough
I will love you like the stars love to shoot (Love to shoot)
And shadows love the moon (Love moon)

It's a little less exquisite than his really sexy music, but the sincerity hits as hard as the bass. One thing I know from No Mercy is that the makeup sex is going to be amazing. 

What Could Have Been - Sting. I am the monster you created. You ripped out all my parts. And worst of all, for me to live, I gotta kill the part of me that saw That I needed you more.

Yeah, it's Arcane again. The finale of season one in which something kind of intense and heartbreaking and horrifying and shocking happens. 

Outside of that, it's a really beautiful and sad piece of music with some very sincere Sting and a beautiful violin solo.

 I hope you know we had everything
And you broke me and left these pieces
I want you to hurt like you hurt me today, and
I want you to lose like I lose when I play

What Could have been

Get through this without crying, I dare you! I have yet to manage it without ruining my imaginary eyeliner, and typically it's a pretty full body cry by the end of the song! Ufff!

Glow in the Dark - Vian Izak Ekaterina Shelehova. Vian Izak is a South African American singer/songwriter, producer, and audio engineer. He created an animated alias to maintain his anonymity online and typically rocks a pretty mean and magical piano. He collaborates with plenty of IRL singers, including Ekaterina Shelehova, who first came to prominence in Europe's Got Talent and who has a mix of opera, enya and whatever her own blend is. 

It's a motivational song that feels like it's sung on a clear cold night with plenty of stars in the sky. And promises it will all be ok: "You are never really on your own, know that the shine inside will always keep you strong, just listen to your own heart. You can glow in the dark" 

Because we've been through it and in the end, there's always hope. There's always renewal. It's always at least possible that the light within us still shines and guides the way. 

And I'll leave you there, having finished up our Thanskgiving Arcane journey!

Thanks for listening with me!